WITH more and more households running out wine, beer and other alcoholic drinks, and the ban on the sale of them still in place, we asked some of the lecturers from Capsicum Culinary Studio to come up with a couple of cocktails that were not only non-alcoholic, but equally delicious and perhaps just a little healthier for you.
The Ice-O-Lation (your daily vitamin C shot)
Ingredients
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1 cup sprite club soda or ginger ale
Sugar (optional)
Mint leaves
Ice cubes
Salt to taste
Method
- Mix the orange juice with lime/lemon juice in a jug.
- Fill two glasses with ice cubes.
- Pour the juice mixture in the glass till half full. Add Sprite/soda/ginger ale and a pinch of salt.
- Lightly crush mint leaves and add to glass. Pop in an eco-friendly straw and garnish with a slice of orange.
The Lockdown and Loaded (gin-free gin and tonic)
Ingredients
5 cardamom pods
½ cucumber
1 chamomile teabag
½ bunch mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
1 strip lemon zest
5 cloves
½ bunch rosemary
Tonic water
Ice
Slice of lemon for garnish
Method
- Lightly bash the cardamom pods to bruise them and slice the cucumber. Put them both in a large jug and add the chamomile tea bag, mint leaves, lemon zest, cloves and rosemary.
- Top up with 500ml cold water. Cover and leave to infuse in the fridge for 2–4 hours (in fact the longer the better).
- To serve, strain the infused water and pour 50ml of it into each glass. Top up with tonic water and lots of ice.
- Garnish each one with a slice of lemon.
- Barman’s note: Instead of a half a slice of lemon you can garnish with pomegranate seeds, raspberries or cucumber.
The Pineapple Express (in lieu of pineapple beer)
Ingredients
1 cup pineapple juice
2 cups Sprite
2tbs rose syrup
Pineapple flavoured jelly powder
Lemon or lime juice
1 cup crushed ice
Pineapple wedge for decoration
Fresh mint
Method
- Rub the rim of two tall glasses with lemon/lime juice and dip the glass rims into a saucer of pineapple jelly powder to give them a coating.
- Heap crushed ice into the glasses and slowly pour in the pineapple juice.
- Slowly add the Sprite. Over this add the rose syrup (as it is the heaviest it will settle at the bottom).
- Stir the mixture a little so that the contents get slightly mixed but make sure each can still be seen separately in layers.
- Decorate the glass with a pineapple wedges and mint leaves and add an eco-friendly straw.
