Mixing Up Your Mixers

by Lissa Townsend Rodgers, Posted Dec 18th 2008 @ 5:55PM

When it comes to assembling the bar for your holiday party, there's a certain list of basics you must have on hand--vodka, gin, whiskey, cola, tonic, etc. Such a bar will certainly serve to make a decent drink and satisfy most customers, but won't add anything special to the festivities. The easiest--and cheapest--way to add a little magic is with unusual mixers. Here's five that will add a twist to your cocktail menu.

1. Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale
It mixes equally well with bourbon, vodka and light rum and works nicely in a punch. The antioxidants listed on the bottle may come in handy when battling the holidays' excesses, but the large amount of sugar won't help with that Christmas waistline.

2. Sence Rose Petal Nectar
If you wish to offer chick drinks that are more Deneuve/Dietrich than Carrie Bradshaw, rose petal nectar can come in handy. Try the elegant American Beauty--not the brandy version, but one made with vanilla vodka, lemon juice and rose petal nectar.

3. Stirrings Organic Sour Cherry
Made with Morello cherries and other organic ingredients, this mixer is marvelous at putting a new spin on traditional drinks like Manhattans or daiquiris.

4. Blood Orange Soda
There are several different brands of this, including Trader Joe's, San Pellegrino and Archer Farms (aka Target). It's a pleasant mix with vodka, or serve it as a chaser for some kind of Midori shot for the full red-and-green Christmas effect.

5. Fee Brothers Peach Bitters
While not technically a mixer, bitters are mixed in, so we'll include it. Peach bitters add a nice southern finish to a bourbon Manhattan; for your non-drinking friends, try a few dashes in a glass of club soda.

Filed Under: Raves & Reviews, Drink Recipes, Holidays
Tags: american beauty, AmericanBeauty, archer farms, ArcherFarms, bars, bitters, blood orange, BloodOrange, canada dry, CanadaDry, cocktails, fee brothers, FeeBrothers, ginger ale, GingerAle, green te, GreenTe, manhattan, mixers, non alcoholic, NonAlcoholic, parties, peach bitters, PeachBitters, rose petal nectar, RosePetalNectar, san pellegrino, SanPellegrino, sence, soda, soft drinks, sour cherry, SourCherry, stirrings, target, trader joes, TraderJoes

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-19-2008 @3:02AM Samme said... Just be careful with those interesting mixers: A lot of them have sulfiting agents (they will be listed on the label or in the ingredients). Your guests may have sulfite sensitivities or allergies, be aware of what is in the mixers you buy and save your friends an uncomfortable night.

I was served a 'strawberry daquiri' made with one of those mixers and enough alcohol for me to not recognize the feeling of the sulfites. I was quite ill for the rest of the evening. I won't be forgetting that any time soon.
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