Having an icy cocktail in hand is one of life’s great pleasures, but what if you’re a teetotaler, or just feel like taking some time off from drinking? Pro NYC bartender Natasha David has you covered with her book Drink Lightly: A Lighter Take on Serious Cocktails, a collection of no- or low-alcohol drinks that won’t leave you feeling deprived. In fact, her recipes are so delicious that even the most old-school tipplers in your life would be thrilled to raise a glass to them. Here are three fantastic recipes you’ll want to keep on deck for your next party, or even a night at home when booze doesn’t happen to be on the menu.
Hit List
Serves 1
Glassware: Festive
Ice: Cubed
Garnish: Lime wedge
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces fresh pineapple juice
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- ¼ ounce Ginger Syrup
- Nonalcoholic lager, to top
Combine the pineapple juice, lime juice, and syrup in a shaker. Add 2 ice cubes and shake. Strain into a festive glass with cubed ice. Top with nonalcoholic lager. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Morning Routine
Serves 1
Glassware: Double rocks
Ice: Crushed
Garnish: Flaming cinnamon stick
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 ounces barista-quality oat milk (preferably Oatly)
- ½ ounce Cinnamon Syrup (recipe below)
- ½ teaspoon matcha powder
- 2 drops rose flower water
Combine the oat milk, syrup, and matcha powder in shaker. Add 2 ice cubes and shake. Strain into a double rocks glass over crushed ice. Top with more crushed ice and snow-cone it Tuck a cinnamon stick into the crushed ice and light it on fire. Blow out the flame and let the cinnamon stick smoke. Serve with a straw. And please, don’t put the straw right next to the smoking HOT cinnamon stick.
For the Cinnamon Syrup: In a medium, heat-safe bowl, combine 500 grams of simple syrup with 10 grams cinnamon bark. Cover the top of the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Place the covered bowl over a large pot filled with 3 to 5 inches of water, making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water (you are essentially creating a double boiler). Cook over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain through a chinois.
Mental Note
Serves 1
Glassware: Festive
Ice: Crushed
Garnish: Grapefruit crescent and lemon wheel
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- ¾ ounce fresh beet juice
- ½ ounce Vanilla Syrup (recipe below)
- 1 heaping bar spoon of raspberry preserves (the kind with seeds!)
Combine the grapefruit juice, lemon juice, beet juice, syrup, and raspberry preserves in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Fine-strain into a festive glass over crushed ice. Top with more crushed ice and snow-cone it. Garnish with a grapefruit crescent and lemon wheel. Serve with a straw.
Vanilla Syrup
Makes about 2 cups
- 500 grams Simple Syrup
- 4 grams Tahitian vanilla extract
- 2 grams lactic acid
- 1 pinch kosher salt
In a medium bowl, combine the syrup, vanilla extract, lactic acid, and salt. Using a whisk, combine until the lactic acid and salt are dissolved. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
Reprinted with permission from Drink Lightly. Copyright © 2022 by Natasha David. Photographs copyright © 2022 Kristin Teig. Illustrations copyright © Andrés Yeah. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
