The MULEtide Carol
I love cocktails. LOVE. They are one of my favorite things in the world. On my list of Top 10 Favorite Things Ever, cocktails are a solid 5. I also know that my body and brain feel best when I’m not oversaturated, and it can be tricky to balance all the celebrations (and temptations) during the holiday season. For me, is especially true the week between Christmas and New Year’s. One way that I bridge the gap between spiked eggnog and champs on champs on champs is to shake up a mocktail so that I still get that tingly feedback loop of holiday cheer but don’t feel like a bowl full of jelly by January 1st.
The two keys to a great mocktail are flavor and festive flair. Your drink needs to pack a punch so that you don’t feel like you’re just drinking, well, punch, and the right glass and jingle-jangles will help your brain feel like you’re treating yourself even when you’re 100% sober.
Zero proof festive jingle-jangle mocktail.
This is my alcohol-free winter mule, which at its most basic is a drink featuring ginger and lime, shaken cold and typically served in a copper cup over ice. This mocktail comes with a twist: yes, you can use cranberry juice* or you can pivot to an even more festive combo by adding pomegranate juice that’s packed with antioxidants. The ginger ale spices things up and activates your taste buds with its carbonated sparkle. And, come on, pouring your mocktail into a (clean!) plastic ornament perched in a martini glass adds enough showmanship to beat any bad-decision shot ordered at the bar. And by bar, we mean your diminishing alcohol cabinet in 2020. Trust me, a mocktail is a great choice even during a night of drinking.
Your garnish can be as elegant as a plush stalk of rosemary and a cocktail pick featuring sugar-rolled cranberries, or as simple as a glass rimmed with simple syrup to adhere finely chopped rosemary.
This recipe is for a single serving but can be easily multiplied if you want to batch this for an evening with friends or to make ahead (meal prep can exist for drinks, too!). For the full mocktail experience, shake your juice with 2-3 cubes of ice to get that fun fizzy topper, pour into your glass (using a funnel if you are filling plastic ornaments) and then top with ginger beer and your choice of garnish. You won’t get a true foam top unless you shake up an egg white prior to adding your juices to your shaker. Strain into a martini glass for Clause, James Clause mocktail swagger, or strain into a highball glass filled with a round or square shaped ice cube. Copper mugs will give you the true mule vibe and should be filled with crushed ice.
The MULEtide Carol, served in an ornament to deck your halls while staying sober!
Shake your juice/s (cranberry, pomegranate, lime juice) with ice for 30 seconds to get a nice fizzy topper. Strain into your glass (or ornament!) and top with ginger beer.
Garnish with a stem of rosemary or a fresh lime wedge and revel in the fact that your caroling will be fa-la-la-la fabulous instead of a slurred fa-la-la-la fail.
Cheers, FoodFam!
