Botanical Summer Mocktails
Want all the glamour of a nice summer cocktail without the hangover? Maybe you are avoiding the dreaded hot flush trigger that is alcohol? How about adding some nice herbal infusions into the mix? Welcome to the world of the botanical mocktail!
This post is part of a mocktail series and what better mocktails to start with for summer than Margaritas, Bellinis and Pimm’s.
And if you are not sipping from a cocktail with a botanically infused salt / sugar rim then what have you been doing with your life.
Pineapple Ginger Daiquiri
Enjoy in a martini glass rimmed with rose sugar.
Ingredients
2 fl oz (60 mL) pineapple juice
1 fl oz (30 mL) white tea
1 fl oz (30 mL) ginger syrup
1 tsp (5 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Carbonated water
Rose sugar for rimming (see below)
Pineapple wedge and fresh peppermint leaves for garnish (optional)
Directions
Rim a martini glass with rose sugar.
Add pineapple juice, white tea, ginger syrup, lemon juice to a blender and pulse/blend for 30 seconds until smooth.
Carefully pour into a martini glass and top up with carbonated water.
Top the daiquiri with fresh peppermint leaves and garnish the edge of the glass with a pineapple wedge.
Simple Syrup
Simple syrups are an easy way to balance a mixed drink with some sweet flavouring. Use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water to make a simple syrup for a subtle sweetness that will last 2-4 weeks refrigerated. For more sweetness and extended shelf life, use a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water to make a rich syrup that will last 12 months when refrigerated.
Ingredients
1-2 cups (200-400 g) sugar
1 cup (8 fl oz or 240 ml) water
Directions
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Allow syrup to cool. Store syrup in the refrigerator and use within 2-4 weeks for a 1:1 syrup and 12 months for a 2:1 syrup.
Hibiscus Syrup
This hibiscus syrup results in a lovely pink to red colour, depending on how much hibiscus you choose
to use and has a fabulous tart flavour.
Ingredients
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (8 fl oz or 240 mL) water
2-4 tbsp hibiscus herbal tea
Directions
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add hibiscus to the liquid. Less hibiscus will result in a lighter colour and milder flavour, whereas more herb will lead to a stronger colour and flavour. Stir to mix the botanicals into the liquid, and cover the saucepan with a lid to steep for 5 minutes. Taste to see if enough of the botanical flavour has transferred to the syrup. If not, cover with the lid and wait another 5 minutes before testing again.
Once the syrup’s flavour is where you want it, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or an unbleached coffee filter to remove the plant material.
Allow the syrup to cool before bottling. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within 2-4 weeks.
For the recipe below substitute hibiscus with rosemary.
Rose Sugar
The perfect addition to your Daiquiri.
Ingredients
1 tsp rose petals (available in ethnic food stores or artisan groceries)
½-1 tsp (2-4 g) granulated sugar or honey or maple syrup
Directions
Place the dried rose petals in a coffee grinder or a small blender. Grind the petals to gently break them apart into smaller pieces using quick short pulses. You don’t want a powder.
Next, combine the rose and sugar in a small bowl and mix well. If using a sugar alternative, such as honey or maple syrup, skip this step.
Transfer your herbal sugar to a plate when you’re ready to rim your glass. Rub a small amount of water along the rim of a glass with your finger, and then dip the wet rim in the herbal sugar mixture.
To rim a glass using a sugar alternative, such as honey or maple syrup, rub a small amount of honey or syrup along the rim of a glass with your finger, and then dip the wet rim in the coarsely chopped rose petals.
Berry Bellini
Ingredients
3 tbsp strawberry thyme purée
4 fl oz (120 ml) sparkling water
Purée:
2 cups ripe strawberries
3 tbsp fresh thyme
1 fl oz (30 mL) lemon juice
2 fl oz (60 mL) simple syrup (see recipe above)
Additional strawberries and fresh sprigs of thyme for garnish
Directions
Combine purée ingredients in a blender and blend well. Strain through a fine-mesh filter or an unbleached coffee filter to ensure the purée is smooth. Store the extra in the refrigerator and use it within a couple of days.
Carefully add the purée to a glass such as a champagne flutes or martini glass,
Pour carbonated water over the purée. Stir gently to combine.
Garnish with a cocktail pick or skewer layered with strawberries or with fresh sprigs of thyme and berries.
Non Alcoholic Pimm’s
Ingredients
40ml black tea
½ tsp dark, soft brown sugar
40ml ginger beer
30ml soda water
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
Lemonade
2 oranges, sliced
slices of cucumber
2 lemons, sliced
sprigs of mint for garnish
Directions
Make a cup of strong black tea.
Pour 40ml of the tea into a small jug, then stir in the sugar and leave to cool.
Add the ginger beer and balsamic vinegar.
Fill your serving jug or glasses with ice cubes and the sliced fruit and cucumber.
Add one part Pimm’s to three parts lemonade.
Garnish with sprigs of mint.
Cucumber and Elderflower Cooler
Ingredients
a handful of fresh basil
4 slices of cucumber
1 lime, cut into wedges
40ml elderflower cordial
20ml rosemary syrup (see Hibiscus/rosemmary syrup recipe above)
a dash of freshly squeezed lime juice
Directions
Stir the basil, cucumber and lime in a glass.
Add the elderflower cordial, rosemary syrup and dash of lime juice.
Half fill the glass with crushed ice, then top up with sparkling water.
Stir everything together and garnish with a sprig of basil and a long baton of cucumber.
Passion Fruit and Lime Bellini
½ a lime, cut into wedges
handful of mint leaves
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 slices of fresh ginger, peeled
2 passion fruits, cut in half (keep one of the halves for garnish)
sparkling water
wedge of lime
Directions
Stir the lime, mint leaves and sugar together in a glass.
Add two slices of ginger and the juice and seeds of three halves of passion fruit.
Fill the glass with ice, add sparkling water and stir.
Garnish with passion fruit seeds and a wedge of lime.