It's been a cold spring so far, but warmer weather is finally in the forecast. Celebrate the turning of the seasons with some fruity and floral infused mocktails that are sure to push you out onto the patio to enjoy some time in the sun.
Each recipe below calls for infused simple syrup, which is easy to make at home from countless recipes available online. If you're feeling lazy, like I was, consider using the infused simple syrup by Cedar Creek, which I found for $15 at Mary Jane's in Hillyard.
The recipes below each make one mocktail with roughly 10 milligrams of THC. All three are easily scalable if you're bartending for a crowd.
PALOMA
Juice of 1 ⁄ 2 lime
Juice of 1 ⁄ 2 grapefruit
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 serving infused simple syrup
1 sprig of rosemary
Club soda
Sea salt
Ice
1. Salt rim of a rocks glass with sea salt.
2. Combine fresh squeezed lime and grapefruit juice with agave nectar and simple syrup in rocks glass and stir until well mixed. Agave nectar should be fully dissolved.
3. Add ice and top with club soda until full.
4. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
FRENCH 75
Juice of 1 ⁄ 2 lemon
3 ounces sparkling grape juice
1 ounce elderflower cordial
1 serving infused simple syrup
Splash of grapefruit juice
1. Peel a spiral of lemon zest and set aside.
2. Squeeze juice of 1⁄2 lemon into a champagne flute.
3. Add elderflower cordial, simple syrup and a splash of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice to the flute.
4. Add sparkling grape juice to the flute.
5. Garnish with lemon zest spiral.
BLACKBERRY SMASH
2 ounces blackberry syrup
Juice of 1 ⁄ 2 lime
Juice of 1 ⁄ 2 lemon
Club soda
1 serving infused simple syrup
2 mint leaves
Ice
1. Add 3 ounces (1⁄2 of a small grocery store container or roughly 10 berries) of blackberries to a saucepan on medium heat along with 1⁄8 cup sugar and 1⁄8 cup water. Cook, stirring and smashing the berries with a fork, for 5-8 minutes until slightly thickened.
2. Strain blackberry syrup through a fine metal sieve, collecting the liquid but discarding the flesh and seeds.
3. Add blackberry syrup to a highball glass along with freshly squeezed lime and lemon juices as well as simple syrup.
4. Add ice to fill, along with two fresh mint leaves, and pour club soda over the top. ♦
