Tuesday, December 22, 2015

'tis the season to be merry ...

We call it the silly season for a reason.  Everyone gets a little bit silly at this time of the year.  There are lots of parties and lots of get togethers with all sorts of people.  Work functions, friends, families, end of year breakups everywhere and all of this brings with it lots of eating and drinking.

As a non-drinker I think it has been at least a good four years since I had a drink.  I don't not drink because it is better for me, well kind of it is that but it is because some years ago I had a significant growth on my liver and I had that removed.  For a little while after that it was great I could enjoy a drink or two and not feel sick but then it all came back basically my liver just doesn't like me drinking anymore.  Perhaps I did far too much of it in my younger years (I know I certainly had more than my fair share!)

Anyway, these days I don't drink at all.  Which I think has been really great for my friends and family who knew that they always had a designated driver.  These days sadly, I am not even that useful.  I am not allowed to drive for now and I don't drink.

With all this merriment upon us it can be quite a little bit boring for me when we go out.  The standard non-alcoholic drinks that are on offer are usually fruit juice, soft drinks, soda water with flavouring or soda water with fruit juice or sometimes a non-alcoholic fruit punch a la '70s style with canned fruit chunks sometimes frozen in a ring!



So that set me on a mission.  I found the usuals as I mentioned above.  Then I discovered a few others on The Merry Thought site. 






And a few more Spring Cocktails here



In the past I have taken a bottle of Appletiser with me places so that with a little strawberry in it drinking out of a champagne flute I don't feel so out of place.  I don't mind a drop of Appletiser so I wondered if they had some ideas for mocktails and to my great happiness they did! 

Here are a few of my favourites and I am going to send this along to my Dad so he has the ingredients to make me a few over the Christmas/New Year break.  


Apple Garden Fizz 



Ingredients
Appletiser, to top (approx. 500ml)
Cucumber, chopped into 2cm chunks
8 strawberries, hulled and chopped in halves
12 mint leaves, torn
Apple, chopped into 2cm chunks
1 orange wedge per drink, for garnish
Lime juice, to taste
Ice

Method
Add all ingredients to an ice filled jug and stir well.
Pour into an ice filled wine glass
Garnish with an orange wedge and a mint sprig.

Fruit Cooler 



Ingredients
Soda Water
Appletiser\White Grapetiser
Strawberries
Apple
Crushed Ice
Sugar
Lemon

Method
Add all the ingredients into a jug except the ice and serve in a highball glass over crushed ice 


Virgin Mojito 



Ingredients
10 Mint leaves, chopped
1 Shot of Lime juice
1 Shot of sugar syrup
Appletiser
Top up with soda water if it is too sweet

Method
Mix all the ingredients together and pour into chilled tumblers.
Rim the glass with mojito sugar if you have it.


Berry Sweetheart


Ingredients
Red Cranberry Juice
White or Red Grapetiser
Honey

Method
Add all the ingredients and serve in a martini glass rimmed with sugar, ice and a slice of lime.


Apple Paloma



Ingredients
Appletiser, to top
60ml grapefruit juice
10ml lime juice
10ml sugar syrup
Grapefruit & Apple wedge, to garnish

Method
Add all the ingredients except Appletiser to an ice filled shaker.
Shake and strain into an ice filled highball glass and top with Appletiser.
Garnish with a grapefruit and apple wedge

To find these and many more ideas you can go to Appletiser.  You can also find lots more alcoholic and non-alcoholic options.  All photos and recipes for the Appletiser/Grapetiser mocktails have been used courtesy of Appletiser. 

I was also flicking through recipes of mine and thought that this might also work.  No photo sorry I haven’t made it yet!

Fruit Shaker

Any type of fruit you like that goes together would work here.

Ingredients
250g Strawberries
250g Pineapple
500g Sorbet (any that works for you would be fine)
500g Vanilla ice cream
Soda water

Method
Put it all ingredients into a blender and blend until all combined. 
Pour into a glass about 2/3 full and top slowly with soda water.

As you can see there are lots of really fancy non-alcoholic options that you can have and not feel as though you are missing out on all the fun.  Whether it be by choice or not you no longer have to feel like a social pariah if you don’t drink alcohol.

Have a great Christmas & New Year 

Til next time

Hugs
Cathy xoxo










3 comments:

  1. Well they actually sound quite good and actually a great idea when being the designated driver. Happy Christmas read you soon xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mmmm. The virgin mojito looks especially refreshing. Think how bright-eyed and bushy tailed you'll be on Boxing Day!

    ReplyDelete

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