THREE SIMPLE HERBAL MOCKTAILS FOR YOUR NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION THIS YEAR

These three simple herbal mocktails are a great way to brighten up your celebrations this holiday season. They are full of herbal flavor, and the citrus in them is a real mood booster.

They’re also really great for a summer bbq. So, you’re going to want to hang on to the recipe so you can make them this year when the sun is shining bright and you’re enjoying the great outdoors.

But, for now, let’s talk about how perfect citrus flavored herbal beverages are for the winter season.

I am just old enough to be of the generations that remember getting oranges in their Christmas stocking. Fresh Florida oranges, in the winter, were a pretty big deal back then.

They were ever-so-slightly pricey. And getting one or two of them on Christmas morning was considered quite a treat.

This tradition was fading by the time I arrived on the scene. But, my very early Christmas mornings involved oranges. And I LOVED IT!

So, now when I see a bowl of citrus, like the one I posted on FB/IG regarding this post a few days ago, I think of the holidays.

And so it is only natural that when I decided to design a few simple mocktails for the season … I thought of citrus.

Why Mocktails Instead Of Cocktails?

Making herbal mocktails instead of herbal cocktails is a bit of a no-brainer for me. It’s been years since I’ve indulged in alcohol. I couldn’t even venture a guess as to exactly how many.

I used to love to have an alcoholic beverage, or two, or sometimes many. And I suppose I would still have a cocktail if I found myself in the mood for one and it was presented to me.

But, it’s not something I keep in the house. For me, I find it an unhealthy choice where nutrition is concerned. It’s a whole lot of empty calories.

I know there are studies out there about the benefits of different alcoholic beverages consumed in moderation. I’m not up on them, and I’m not interested enough in consuming cocktails to muster up a desire to research them. So, I just pass.

However, I do love a good beverage. It’s feels indulgent to take the time to make something special for yourself to sip on. Particularly when you’re intentionally taking a ‘time out’ to relax.

So … mocktails are a great option for me.

They are also perfect for people who don’t drink because they have issues with alcohol addiction, for designated drivers, and for those who have overindulged in alcohol the night before and need to rehydrate.

Ingredients Needed For This Recipe

I intentionally kept the mocktail recipes for this post very simple. I want people to be able to easily whip up an herbal mocktail when the mood strikes them.

There are 3 mocktail recipes to choose from at the end of this post. They are all very similar in the name of simplicity. Each of them calls for one type of citrus and one food grade herbal component.

Honey, water, and club soda are used for all 3 versions.

The citrus components used are fresh squeezed orange, lemon, and lime juice. And the herbal components used are dried hibsicus, dried elderberry, and fresh ginger root.

How To Make Herbal Mocktails

I wanted to be able to keep a simple syrup for each of these herbal mocktails on hand in the refrigerator, so that I could make one whenever the mood strikes me.

So for each beverage we’ll create a simple syrup by steeping the herbal component in hot water for 24 hours.

Then we’ll strain the herbs out of the water, mix the water with some citrus, and melt honey into the blend.

This blend will then be served in club soda over ice. And garnished with a bit of citrus peel.

Adding Fresh Herbs To This Recipe

If you have fresh herbs growing in your home, or in a greenhouse, they are a really great addition to herbal mocktails.

If not, then dream about the possibilities that you’ll have available to you come the height of summer when fresh garden herbs are abundant.

Things like … basil, rosemary, mint, thyme, lavender, and sage are all fabulous in these beverages.

Or, you can add things like cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars, or cardamom pods for a warmer note in your beverage. And they are available year round.

How To Serve Herbal Mocktails

Often, when I’m making herbal mocktails for myself, I simply fill a glass with ice, pour in a few shots of the prepared simple syrup, top it off with club soda, and enjoy.

It’s quick and easy. And, dare I say, we all tend to treat ourselves as though we don’t need to take the time to go that ‘extra step’ to treat ourselves special.

However, sometimes, maybe the best times, I do go that extra step. Even for just myself. And it’s a great way to encourage self-love, so I highly recommend it.

Here’s a list of things you can do to make your beverage extra special …

• Use some edible flowers, like calendula, lavender, rose petals, nasturtiums, or peonies to make floral ice cubes to put in your beverages.
• Add a berry garnish, like raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, or pomegranate seeds to your beverage.
• Use a mortar and pestle to muddle some of the berries you add to your beverage. This will lend some additional flavor to it, and a few antioxidants too.
• As mentioned above … add some fresh herbs to your beverage. Things like basil, rosemary, mint, thyme, lavender, and sage all work really well.
• Or if fresh herbs are unavailable add things like cinnamon sticks, cloves, anise stars, or cardamom pods to your beverage.

How To Store The Simple Syrup For Herbal Mocktails

The simple syrup for these herbal mocktails will store for quite some time in the refrigerator. If you put it in an airtight container, it will last 7-10 days without a problem.

If you make a batch of simple syrup without the citrus juice in it then it will last much longer. Anywhere from 2 weeks to a month.

This is a great option if you plan to enjoy these beverages regularly throughout the winter. This is the way that I most often store my syrup.

The citrus can be added to the syrup later. Or you can just add it to the beverage itself when you make it.

It’s actually nice to do it this way because then you always have some citrus slices or peel to garnish your beverages with.

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE BEVERAGE RECIPES …

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