JOIN USMocktails are essentially non-alcoholic drinks and are generally relished by women and lovers of fruity flavours. The unique tastes and blends of different juices, syrups and fresh seasonal fruits are sure to tempt every kind of taste bud. And a good chef’s imagination is enough to create mouth-watering mocktails in a jiffy.
Even though it takes years of practice to achieve a perfectly-mixed drink, with a few simple tricks, one can create sensational taste combinations!
Before mixing a drink, have all ingredients close at hand, measure the portions accurately and prepare lots of fresh, crushed ice for use. For ice cubes with a difference, place lemon wedges or fruit pieces in the ice tray during refrigeration. Cut fruits beforehand into cubes for garnishing, giving your drink that special look and taste. Glasses are also an important part of serving a mocktail. You could use the following kinds:
- Champagne glass — a saucer or a flute shaped glass.
- Cocktail glass — a V-shaped triangular glass.
- Old fashioned glass — a tumbler with traditional sloping sides.
- Highball glass — a tall straight-sided glass.
- Stem-wine glass — A typical wine glass available in many shapes and sizes.
Manajsa, in Hauz Khas, New Delhi, serves its mocktails with pride. Says Sandeep, bartender at Manajsa, “The most popular mocktails here are Strawberry Colada and Virgin Mojito. We serve them chilled, and these are relished mostly by women for their fruity flavours. Some men come in asking for our mocktails on a typically hot summer day. These drinks have universal appeal.”
Another popular pub in South Delhi is Toro Fine Time in Khan Market. Gracy, the hostess of this fancy pub says, “The Pomegranate Refresher is a very popular drink here. People like to chill out at our pub and enjoy this one on lazy Sundays.”
Here are a few recipes of fine mocktails that can be prepared quickly and relished at leisure.
Virgin Strawberry Colada
Ingredients: Orange juice — 200 ml, pineapple juice — 100 ml, strawberry syrup or strawberry crush — 10 ml, fresh cream — 1 tablespoon, vanilla ice cream — two scoops.
Method: Mix all the juices and other ingredients in a blender or shaker. Pour it into a mocktail glass. Add crushed ice. Garnish it with a strawberry. Before serving, add a fancy straw.
Virgin Mojito
Ingredients: Mint leaves — three or four, lemon chunks — 2, lemon extract — 2 table spoons, brown sugar — 1 tablespoon, Sprite/ soda — 1 bottle.
Method:Crush together the lemon chunks, mint leaves and brown sugar and leave them in a glass. Mix together some lime juice. Fill up the glass with Sprite or soda. Serve it with crushed ice and garnish it with a slice of lemon.
Pomegranate Refresher
Ingredients: Fresh juice of fresh pomegranate —100ml, grenadine (non alcoholic) — 5 ml, sugar syrup — as per taste, Sprite/soda — 1 bottle.
Method: Mix together the pomegranate juice, grenadine and sugar syrup. Add Sprite to fill up the glass. Serve it with a cube of ice and garnish with the seeds of pomegranate floating on top.
Fruit Punch
Ingredients: Litchi juice — 100 ml, mango juice — 100 ml, orange juice — 100 ml, fresh cream — 30 ml.
Method: Mix all the juices together in a shaker. Shake and pour into a goblet. Add and stir in the fresh cream. Add some crushed ice. Garnish with a piece of fresh fruit. Serve with a fancy straw.
Myst Flush
Ingredients: Coffee syrup — 20 ml, chocolate syrup — 20 ml, milk — 90 ml, crushed ice.
Method: Blend all the ingredients in a blender and pour it into a tall, slim glass. Garnish with grated chocolate. Serve with crushed ice and a fancy straw in a cocktail glass or goblet.