|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mocktails: The Smart and Creative alternative
|
|
Monday, 30 January, 2012, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Anup Kumar Sharma
|
 Mocktail is originally an abbreviation of “Mock Cocktail” where the essence of cocktail is retained without adding alcohol.
In contemporary time, it represents a healthy, colourful, yet safe celebration drink that is known to take the spirit of the occasion to the next level. Colourful and full of flavour mocktails are adorned by beverage enthusiasts who love to savour the taste and feel of drinks in their original form without mixing it with alcohol.
Mocktails which were traditionally consumed by / offered to designated drivers, pregnant women, or any party guests who chose not to drink alcohol, have today gained a lot of popularity themselves due to their vibrant colours and exotic flavours.
While most mocktails are blends of fresh fruit juices and syrups, and some contain cream, herbs or spices, they can be broadly classified into varieties of frozen, hot, fizzy, non-fizzy, and cream-based recipes. There is a whole universe of fruit juices, herbs, creams, candies, non-alcoholic cocktail mixes that can be mixed and matched in just the right proportion to give the right ting and zing.
The art of making the perfect mocktail lies in essentially balancing each of the component flavours in the drink. Any cocktail recipe can be modified by simply leaving out alcohol and bringing in creativity. For example Daiquiri (Rum-based cocktails) can be easily made into mocktails. Seabreeze mocktail are also famous, and Cajun Clamato is the mock bloody-Mary variety of cocktail. Nada Colada, mocktail version of Pina Colada has all the ingredients of the latter except the alcohol, it’s made by blending pineapple juice, cream of coconut, rum extract, and crushed ice in a blender until smooth. Serve garnished with a pineapple slice.
Surprisingly these non-alcoholic drinks can be customised and made as per guest’s age and liking and served to small or larger gatherings as party / celebration drinks. For kids one of the popular bases used is that of ice creams like vanilla or strawberry flavour, while ladies may prefer something more tried and tested like a citric base; men, however, may prefer stronger base like pudina or paan flavours.
Most mocktails are easy to make and can be a great alternative to the usual offerings of soda pop and juice in kids or ladies get-togethers. Teenagers can experiment with lemonade base or carbonated drink mixes for their freshers’ meet or farewell parties. In fact the act of making mocktail at a kids’ event can be very engaging; kids contribute to make mocktail that involve simpler steps like shaking or mixing. When they finally serve themselves these celebration drinks their joy of devouring them doubles.
Presentation of mocktail adds the glam quotient to make them look attractive. It’s because of this superior presentation they forego the quantity quotient, even though served in smaller quantities they are still inviting.
There is a whole plethora of shapes and sizes of the drinking glasses to choose from for serving mocktail, the tall glass, the wine glass, margarita glass, martini glass the list goes on. Mocktails are also characterized by fancy additions like: decorative drinking straw / slice of fruit on the rim of the glass/ a sunken cherry/ liquid layers/ sugared or salted rims that give colour, texture and taste to the guests consuming the mocktail.
Bartenders as professionals know their mixes and are thus able to quickly serve customers the right drink that suits them with the right attitude. They are even entitled and trained to add some bit of drama to the process thus entertain and amuse the guests even while making the trick or by alluring talks/ chats. In fact many a times they are one of the key reason for the customer to come back to the beverage / bar again.
Contrary to the belief that mocktails are served chilled and mostly do not have any heath benefits, Mocktails do have health benefits when made with fresh fruit puree/ juice, milk and cream. Specialized and seasoned barpersons are known to have helped guest overcome sore throat, cough or cold with warm mocktail made with herbs which work wellness magic. One mocktail that I would like to quote as an example in this case is: which has a mix of honey, cinnamon, ginger and black papper blended with warm water. This mix by the name of “dalchini aur honey” is actually a great reliever from tonsils, sneezing and cold.
Truly Mocktail delivers the fun side of cocktails without the guilt of indulging in alcohol and in many a case they go beyond their forte too with medicinal properties.
(The writer is corporate bar manager, Ohri’s Group)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|