Cocktails without alcohol don’t have to be boring! Read on to discover our best mocktail recipes for every occasion and season, plus everything you need to know about stocking your home bar.
When you’re having friends or family over for drinks, it’s nice to be able to make anything they ask for. Whether you’re making cocktails, mocktails, or any mixed drink, the following utensils will make you look like a professional bartender:
Cocktail Shaker: Add ice to your favorite cocktail and shake it well to enjoy the ultimate chilled drink.
Jigger: Use to measure your ingredients to ensure you get the perfect ratios.
Strainer: Typically made from mesh, these are great for removing unwanted solids from ingredients such as herbs or citrus fruits.
Stir Spoons: These special spoons are used for cocktails that are stirred rather than shaken.
Peeler and Juicer: Many non-alcoholic cocktails include lemon and orange, so these two utensils come in handy. Extract delicious juice with a juicer and create perfect decorative details with a peeler.
Glassware: To make non-alcoholic cocktails, you'll need a variety of glasses and stemware. Make sure you have at least a couple of the most popular ones, e.g. martini or margarita glasses, whiskey glasses and red and white wine glasses.
Once you’ve got your bar tools set up, it’s time to think about the mixers and ingredients you want to have on hand. Here are several suggestions for a fool-proof line-up of mocktail add-ins:
• Tonic water
• Cola, lemonade and ginger beer
• Sparkling water
• Popular fresh juices such as orange, cranberry, apple, pineapple or mango and more exotic juices such as passionfruit
• Ice
• Fruit syrups or liqueurs
• Simple syrup (1:1 equal parts sugar and water)
• Fresh herbs e.g. rosemary, basil, mint
• Fresh berries e.g. blackberries, blueberries, strawberries (depending on the season)
• Dried herbs and spices e.g. cinnamon, cayenne pepper
• Citrus fruits e.g. lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit
Try these three suggestions to turn a conventional cocktail into a fantastic non-alcoholic version:
1. Beautiful ice cubes: Fill the holes of an ice cube tray with berries, fresh herbs, or edible flowers, then pour over water as usual and freeze.
2. Homemade simple syrup: Use the tip in our Jamaica Hibiscus Margarita recipe on Cookidoo® to make your own simple syrup!
3. Infused sparkling water: Simply pour sparkling mineral water and your choice of ingredients (berries, herbs, vegetables, etc.) into a large pitcher, cover and let it infuse in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Try different flavors until you find the one you like best.
