Advice Wanted: Cocktail-to-Mocktail Help

[Thebazile78]

OK, it's common knowledge around these parts that I'm pregnant, so I'm not drinking alcohol until after Baby Fridays arrives.

However, since it's the holiday season and I'm feeling festive, I'm looking for mocktail recipes to add some color to our celebrations ... and to provide myself something fun to drink. (Oh, and the right mocktail will go over really well with the kids in the family, making it extra-special.)

Most of the ones I've found so far scream "Church Lady" and aren't exactly the fun and funky twist I'm looking for - I'm thinking "sophisticated" while these are more "Ice Cream Social."

So, I've started to look at cocktails to try and virginize them. It's pretty hard because a lot of the liqueurs are things I've heard of but haven't tasted, so I'm a bit reluctant to switch in, say, lemonade for limoncello, in a cute little sparkling punch.

Can anybody help me out a bit?

[Snoogans]

shirley temples

[epo]

shirley temples

F that.

Cherry limeade.

[Tenbatsuzen]

Screwdrivers without the vodka are pretty good.

[Thebazile78]

shirley temples

Um, no.

Grenadine is disgusting.

[SatCam]

vodka on the rocks hold the vodka

[A.J.]

Virgin Mary. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mary_%28cocktail%29)

[Death Metal Moe]

vodka on the rocks hold the vodka

....soo, just rocks? KRAZY!!!!!!!

[Death Metal Moe]

Um, no.

Grenadine is disgusting.

::GASP::
:blink::down::thumbdown:

I can't help you anymore if you're gonna shit lip grenadine like that.

[SatCam]

Shirley Temple on ice,
She makes it just right,
That extra grenadine got me feelin' so nice,
Her body's so tight up under that light,
I see her so clearly now, she's right there before my eyes

[jauble]

Nothing better, especially in the fall/winter, than a hot spiced cider. With or without rum it sure beats shivering. I saw the V Mary in their as well, I dress up tomato juice for breakfast all the time. Celery salt, pepper and some salsa (with your choice of heat) shaken over ice with a dill pickle spear and/or lemon wedge is awesome.

[happytypinggirl]

OK, it's common knowledge around these parts that I'm pregnant, so I'm not drinking alcohol until after Baby Fridays arrives.

However, since it's the holiday season and I'm feeling festive, I'm looking for mocktail recipes to add some color to our celebrations ... and to provide myself something fun to drink. (Oh, and the right mocktail will go over really well with the kids in the family, making it extra-special.)

Most of the ones I've found so far scream "Church Lady" and aren't exactly the fun and funky twist I'm looking for - I'm thinking "sophisticated" while these are more "Ice Cream Social."

So, I've started to look at cocktails to try and virginize them. It's pretty hard because a lot of the liqueurs are things I've heard of but haven't tasted, so I'm a bit reluctant to switch in, say, lemonade for limoncello, in a cute little sparkling punch.

Can anybody help me out a bit?

do you have a preference for hot drinks or cold?

[Thebazile78]

Virgin Mary. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Mary_%28cocktail%29)

That'd work for me, but not a crowd that doesn't do spicy.

So, so sad.

[Thebazile78]

do you have a preference for hot drinks or cold?

Since I'm planning to make it for a family get-together that I'll need to travel about an hour to, cold would be better than hot. (I can always freeze a portion of it into ice cubes to keep it cool on the trip out.)

Kid-friendly is a big plus (i.e. - no caffeine) but not a strict requirement. I'd prefer something sophisticated to something that screams kiddie-drink.

[Thebazile78]

Nothing better, especially in the fall/winter, than a hot spiced cider. With or without rum it sure beats shivering. I saw the V Mary in their as well, I dress up tomato juice for breakfast all the time. Celery salt, pepper and some salsa (with your choice of heat) shaken over ice with a dill pickle spear and/or lemon wedge is awesome.

Love the idea of a spiced cider and even have cinnamon sticks & whole cloves (yum!) ... maybe for my own get-together!

[Crossweird]

Try a fake mimosa: O.J. with club soda.

[Crossweird]

Oh, and mulled wine using that awful non-alcoholic red wine. Once you pour in sugar and spices it doesn't matter what it started as.

[boosterp]

Oh, and mulled wine using that awful non-alcoholic red wine. Once you pour in sugar and spices it doesn't matter what it started as.

You can use the fake wine for sangria too plus kids love it because it tastes like a fruit drink. I've made a non-alcohol Mojito before that was not all that bad.

[Crossweird]

I've made a non-alcohol Mojito before that was not all that bad.

I've always wondered what a 'little Mojo' tastes like.

[GregoryJoseph]

Mock Mint Julep

4 or 5 mint sprigs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cold water
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 quarts ginger ale
Lemon slices

1. Remove the stems from the mint and rinse.
2. Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl, blend well
3. Pour mixture into a large pitcher
4. Add mint sprigs and let stand for about half an hour
5. Add ginger ale to mixture.
6. Pour into a cup filled with crushed ice and serve with a lemon slice to garnish

[sailor]

F that.

Cherry limeade.

so, a cherry lime rickey (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cherry-lime-rickey-our-own-twist-recipe/index.html)? good stuff.

[Thebazile78]

Try a fake mimosa: O.J. with club soda.

Good try, but not quite what I'm trying to get at.

Oh, and mulled wine using that awful non-alcoholic red wine. Once you pour in sugar and spices it doesn't matter what it started as.

I don't know if, even preggo, I could bring myself to purchase any Fre.

I'm also a bit leery of how it's been sweetened ... HFCS makes me puke.

You can use the fake wine for sangria too plus kids love it because it tastes like a fruit drink. I've made a non-alcohol Mojito before that was not all that bad.

I'm really trying to wrap my mind around the fake wine thing. Exactly how is it different from grape juice?

I've considered a virgin mojito, but I think I'm the only person who's not totally skeeved by the muddled mint.

so, a cherry lime rickey (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cherry-lime-rickey-our-own-twist-recipe/index.html)? good stuff.

I have considered the lime rickey!

Also, thanks to everyone who's taking my question seriously and providing advice, recipes and links. You're getting the old creative juices flowing!

[jauble]

Also, thanks to everyone who's taking my question seriously and providing advice, recipes and links. You're getting the old creative juices flowing!

I really think that food is a serious enough subject that people are going to be more serious in their answers, because unlike politics, sports and jezo related threads there is a chance that after giving advice someone will use it and thank you for it.

Also quality moderating.

[boosterp]

I'm really trying to wrap my mind around the fake wine thing. Exactly how is it different from grape juice?
!

Linky (http://www.arielvineyards.com/about_faq.html)

What is non-alcoholic wine?
Non-alcoholic wines are distinctly different from grape juices and other non-alcoholic beverages. ARIEL makes wine with alcohol from premium varietal grapes, ferments them to dryness, then removes the alcohol through a cold filtration process. This allows the consumer to enjoy the pleasure and nuances of a fermented beverage without the alcohol.

The legal definition of a non-alcoholic beverage requires a product to contain less than 1/2 of 1% of alcohol. ARIEL non-alcoholic wines contain less alcohol than most fresh squeezed orange juice!

[hanso]

Thought I saw a whole bunch of apple cider up front at the market as a last minute item