Alcohol-free fizzy holiday drinks still enjoyable

BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
12/26/12 at 3:01 AM

Using ginger ale, sparkling cider and soda water, there are many ways to enjoy a festive sparkling drink without a drop of alcohol.

Mix them with fruit juice, flavored syrups or infusions for a satisfying holiday toast.

And one of the hot trends right now are shrubs, which contain a vinegary syrup made with fruit, sugar and vinegar.

Shrubs can be combined with seltzer to make a thirst-quenching drink. They may be an acquired taste, but shrubs might also be perfect for someone who does not like syrupy sweet beverages.

Here are some sparkling drinks, as well as a shrub recipe that you might want to try for the holidays.

The first is a recipe from Tiffany Poe, a local chef, bed and breakfast owner and guest columnist of the Tulsa World's The Busy Kitchen column.

GINGER AND BLACKBERRY SPARKLER

Serves 6

48 ounces ginger ale
1/2 cup or 4 ounces blackberry syrup (located next to the maple syrup in supermarket)
1 pint fresh blackberries
1 package fresh mint

1. Mix ginger ale and blackberry syrup together until combined in a pitcher. Stir gently so you don't lose all the carbonation in the ginger ale.

2. To make individual drinks, fill small globe or tumbler-style glass with ice, and top with berry ginger ale.

3. Garnish with fresh blackberries and fresh mint leaves.

PEACH-GINGER SHRUB

4 medium peaches (about 1 pound)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup grated fresh ginger
1 3/4 cups white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1. Remove pits from peaches, and mash in a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar and ginger; stir well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

2. Press peach mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean medium-sized bowl. Discard peach solids. Add both vinegars to peach juices. Whisk to combine. Pour through funnel into clean bottle. Seal bottle, and shake vigorously. Store in refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, shaking periodically to help dissolve sugar. Once sugar has dissolved, serve with seltzer or white rum. Shrub can be stored for several months in refrigerator.

- adapted from seriouseats.com

BLISSFUL BELLINI MOCKTAIL

1/4 cup peach nectar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Chilled sparkling apple cider

1. Mix peach nectar and lemon juice in glass. Add chilled apple cider to fill glass. Stir.

2. Serve in a Champagne flute.

- adapted from drinkalternatives.com

CRANBERRY SPARKLER

1 1/2 ounces blackberry puree
2 ounces white cranberry juice
2 to 3 ounces sparkling water
1 sprig mint, for garnish

1. Place blackberry puree and cranberry juice in a champagne flute.

2. Add sparkling water to fill. Garnish with mint.

- adapted from marthastewart.com

Original Print Headline: Fizzy drinks fun even sans liquor

Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Ginger and blackberry sparkler