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Once a year, my family went on a weekend vacation to a hotel resort. At dinner, Dad would order me a Shirley Temple: a mix of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda (or freshly squeezed lime juice) with grenadine, stirred in a tall glass with ice and topped with a maraschino cherry. I felt so grown-up.
This was likely the first mocktail, dating back to the 1930s. Shirley Temple, like me, was too young to drink with her parents, so a bartender created a legendary beverage for the legendary child actress and dancer.
Today, mocktails are more popular and innovative than ever. Restaurants devote entire menu sections to booze-free drinks that provide the same communal social connections. Among health-conscious people, there is a growing trend to abstain from or limit alcohol consumption. Summer is the ideal time for new, refreshing beverages — they taste great and can be enjoyed by all family members.
Frozen Shirley Temple
Adapted from Lucy Simon, Food & Wine
Serves 2
1.5 cups Sprite
2/3 cup pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons grenadine
Maraschino cherries
Pour Sprite into an ice mold and freeze for about 3 hours. Combine with pomegranate juice and grenadine in a blender until smooth. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Margarita Mocktail
Adapted from Danielle Walker, health advocate, food writer and chef.
Serves 2
5 ounces simple syrup
Juice of one lime
1 ounce of orange juice
1 ounce of grapefruit sparkling water
Ice cubes
Lime wedges and salt
Combine lime and orange juices, grapefruit water, simple syrup and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Rub the rim of the serving glass with a lime wedge and dip it in salt. Strain the mixture into each glass.
Nonalcoholic Strawberry Daiquiri
Adapted from Martha Tinkler, Food Network
Serves 2
2 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup ice
3/4 cup Fresca, Sprite or sparkling water
4 tablespoons light agave syrup
3 ounces nonalcoholic rum
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until reaching a smooth consistency. Serve in coupe cocktail glasses. Garnish with strawberries or sprigs of summer herbs.
Gin Sour, Inspired by the Taste of Real Gin
Adapted from NYC chef and mixologist Lisa Fernandes, @cheflisafernandes.
Serves 6
For gin botanical:
10 teaspoons juniper berries
4 teaspoons coriander seeds
7 teaspoons cardamom seeds
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
Peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
For gin sour (makes one mocktail):
1.5 ounces jasmine tea
1 ounce lemon juice (strained)
¼ ounce passion fruit puree
1 egg white or any egg-white substitute
A pinch kosher salt
Make the gin botanical by toasting all spices gently until fragrant. Grind spices in a blender until broken up but not powder. Add spices, citrus, water and sugar to the pot. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Heat again before straining through a chinois (cone-shaped strainer) and then a paper coffee filter. Brew your favorite jasmine tea as directed on the box. Let it cool completely before using. Combine 1 ounce of the gin botanical syrup, 1 ounce of gin and the remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Strain the cocktail into a coupe glass.
Virgin Layered Strawberry-Mango Margaritas
Adapted from Eating Well Test Kitchen
Serves 3
1.5 cups frozen strawberries
1.5 cups ice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1/8 cup simple syrup
1.5 cups frozen mango chunks
Place berries, half the ice, half the water, half the lime juice, half the orange juice and 1 tablespoon simple syrup in a blender. In a clean blender jar, put the mango and remaining liquids and 1 tablespoon simple syrup. Puree until smooth. Using three glasses, create layers of the berry and mango mixture for a colorful pattern. You can also swirl together.
Note: You can use any berries and still have a rainbow hue, such as blackberries or blueberries.
Mock Mule
Adapted from Food Network Kitchen
Serves two
12 ounces ginger beer
6 ounces lime seltzer
1 piece candied ginger, chopped
Lime wedges
Fill two 16-ounce copper mugs (or any large glass) with crushed ice. Add ginger beer and seltzer. Garnish with the candied ginger and lime wedge.
Sleepy Girl
The TikTok Phenomenon Claiming Health & Sleep-Promoting Properties
Serves 1
1/2 cup tart cherry juice
1 tablespoon magnesium powder
Probiotic soda or sparkling water
Stir and sip.
Note: The Cleveland Clinic reports its “limited research to support relaxation and promote sleep,” while fans value the drink due to high amounts of melatonin (the sleepy hormone), amino acid tryptophan (which produces serotonin), anti-inflammatory effects and magnesium (which may promote physical and emotional relaxation). Check with your doctor to make sure it’s okay for you to take magnesium.
Do any of you drink mocktails? What's your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.