Serve an NA Drink at Your Next Party: Try This Rosemary Citrus Mocktail Recipe by Ann Marie G. Halstead

When you think about trends, do you think about food trends? According to Southern Living, there are a dozen food trends that Southern chefs will be cooking up in 2023. I was excited to see a couple of my favorite foods on the list. Another that I was happy to see included was non-alcoholic spirits and drinks. I like some alcoholic drinks, but in general I’m not a big drinker (some drinks even make my migraines worse), so I’m always up for learning new NA cocktail recipes. Also, I follow Celeste Yvonne on social media; she writes candidly about quitting drinking 5 years ago. She talks about why she quit, “mommy wine culture,” and how alcohol seems to be the only drug that one has to explain not using. She also urges people not to ask why someone isn’t drinking, because it could be for any number of reasons and because it isn’t anyone's business. (Her book It's Not about the Wine: The Loaded Truth behind Mommy Wine Culture will be released in September.)

Even before I started following Celeste Yvonne, I’ve always made a point to offer a variety of drink options whenever I host a party or event, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. I think it is courteous and just makes logical sense; not everyone will have the same tastes and not everyone is a drinker. Moreover, you’ll want to make sure some people aren’t drinking alcohol so that guests get home safely. You could certainly provide water, seltzer water, and/or sodas, but you could go the extra mile and offer a non-alcoholic cocktail, or ‘mocktail.’ This will make everyone feel included. There are plenty of such drinks and recipes, including those that use ingredients we may associate with the cooler months such as hot cranberry apple cider and sparkling ginger beer mocktail.

https://30seconds.com/food/tip/17636/Hot-Cranberry-Apple-Cider-Recipe-Warms-You-Up-From-the-Inside-Out?hl=apple%20cider

https://30seconds.com/food/tip/43609/Sparkly-Ginger-Beer-Mocktail-Recipe-A-Refreshing-Non-Alcoholic-New-Years-Eve-Cocktail?hl=mocktails
This rosemary citrus drink is delicious all year long, and looks beautiful, too! Cheers!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Other Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 16 minutes
Yields: 10-12 drinks

Ingredients:
2 lemons or 2 large limes
2 oranges
4 fresh rosemary sprigs (about 4 inches)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
Ice

Soda water

Lemon/lime slices & rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)

Here’s how to make it:
To make the syrup: Peel off thick strips of zest from 1 of the lemons or limes (whichever you’ve chosen). Squeeze lemons/limes and oranges into a measuring cup. You need 1 cup of juice; if necessary, top off with water to reach 1 cup of liquid.

In a small to medium sauce pan, combine zest, juice, rosemary sprigs, sugar and honey over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute; stir constantly to dissolve the sugar.

Remove pan from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Strain liquid, throw away solids, and let syrup cool completely.

Fill an 8-ounce glass half way with ice cubes. Then add 2-3 tablespoons syrup, fill the glass with soda water; stir. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and fruit slices (optional).