Non-alcoholic Cocktails

A regular blog reader asks: "Dad, why don't you post some non-alcoholic cocktail recipes?"

Those of you who know me personally can probably guess the answer to that one, but the apple of my eye raises a good point. So for all the designated drivers and moms to be out there, here are some summer cooler suggestions courtesy of Best Start: Ontario's Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre (www.beststart.org). Their recipes are followed by my comments and suggestions in brackets.

Blueberry Ice

To a tall glass filled with ice, add 1 oz. blueberry juice and 3 oz. of white cranberry juice. Stir and sip through a straw. (You could also muddle a few tablespoons of fresh or thawed frozen blueberries in the bottom of the glass, add ice and fill with white grape juice, lemon-lime pop, or sparkling water.)

Escarpment Mocktail

Add 2 oz. of orange juice to ice in an old-fashioned glass. Top with 2 oz. of lemon or lime sparkling water. (Perrier and San Pellegrino make flavoured versions of their well-known sparkling mineral waters, and most supermarkets have lower priced house brands. They taste great all by themselves.)

Baby Belle

Mix 2 oz. pineapple juice, 2 oz. orange juice, and 1 tsp. Grenadine in a tall glass with ice. Top with 2 oz. of lemon or lime sparkling water. (Grenadine is a sweet, red syrup used for adding colour and sweetness to cocktails. You can find it in the supermarket beverage aisle. You could omit it and use lemon-lime pop instead of the sparkling water.)

Sunny Lemonade

Fill a tall glass with ice and add 1 oz. of pomegranate juice and 3 oz. of lemonade. Stir and sip through a straw. (You could add another red juice such as cranberry, raspberry, or cherry to get that pink lemonade colour.)

Berry Bramble

In the bottom of a tall glass, muddle two tablespoons of fresh or thawed frozen raspberries. Squeeze in the juice of a lime wedge. Half fill the glass with ice and top with 4 oz. of sparkling water. (Club soda is fine, but many contain a lot of sodium. There are sodium-free club sodas available, a far better choice.)

One final tip: adding garnishes such as orange or strawberry slices, a few blueberries or raspberries, or chunks of pineapple can boost the appeal as well as the nutrition of any of these drinks.

So there you are, five ways to be nice to your non-drinking family, friends, and guests this summer. If you'd like to see June's cocktails, here they are: Strawberry Lemonade, Peony, Mango-rita, and Muskoka Maple Leaf. And for a complete list of last summer's drinks, including Long Island Iced Tea and Sangria, click here: Summer Cocktail Season is Here.

Until next week, Cheers!