"nonalcoholic" news and stories

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.

Wine sales in France are on the decline, and that has several wineries turning to other ways to use their crops, such as grape-based sodas and beers, according to a recent Times article. The Times' Adam Sage reported on several such products unveiled at last week's International Food Fair in Paris. While one of the new products, Le Soda de la Vigne, is alcohol free, other new grape-based products like Ensô are more akin to beer, and others are simply wines with lower alcohol contents. These are aimed at "drinkers who have grown more health conscious and in some cases more wary of France's tougher drink-driving laws," The Times reported.

Yesterday's New York Times food section was all about cocktails and ways to make refreshing summer drinks. It put me in the mood for something cold and refreshing, but since I read the food section before breakfast and most of the recipes were alcoholic, the urge had passed long before the heat of the day was beating down. It returned when I saw Joe's post about Watermelon Agua Fresca at Culinary in the Desert. It has watermelon, sugar, lime juice and seltzer and is something that I can actually indulge in early in the morning as well as when the California sun is beating down. Now, if only I hadn't just used up the rest of my watermelon...

Source

Let’s face it: eggnog is not quite the same without a little something to warm you up. And when you’re making big batches of punch laced with bottled holiday cheer, you don’t always stop to consider all the options for non-drinking guests. Whether you have kids, are the designated driver or simply choose not to drink, you may have to come up with some nonalcoholic options during the holidays. The familiar, but excellent, standby is definitely Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider, which is always a hit in any crowd with its bright, sweet taste and pleasant fizz. Other sparkling fruit juices, like Cranberry and Pear are good alternatives.

Moving away from the champagne-like drinks, “mocktails” can be a good option at the bar. Try mixing Sprite or lemonade with a splash of grenadine for a Shirley Temple or tomato juice, Worcestershire and Tabasco for a Virgin Mary. Hot drinks are also nice on cold nights and holiday classics like Hot Cocoa and Mulled Cider, or coffee drinks like a Pumpkin Spiced Mocha.