It's rare to mix swanky cocktail recipes with the phrase “according to the latest scientific research," but hold on to your swizzle sticks. Scientists have just announced that alcohol increases the level of antioxidants in fruit. The researchers focused on strawberries and blackberries but they suspect all fruit may be enhanced by a splash of the hard stuff. So to celebrate the first warm days, we gathered fruit-filled recipes from some top "mixologists" (great job title). Tip: Do your party shopping at a health-food store -- fresh juices
STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER
Serves 1 John Lennon fan
This luscious summer sipper is from mixologist Greg Best, of Atlanta’s Restaurant Eugene. It'll get you those extra antioxidants without any added sugars. "It's naturally fresh-tart from the strawberries and the Dubonnet adds a subtle sweetness," notes Best.
1½ oz. fresh strawberry juice
Juice from 1 lime wedge, squeezed
½ oz. Plymouth gin
1 oz. Dubonnet Blonde, a wine-based aperitif
Club soda to tasteMint sprig for garnish
Stir together the first four ingredients and pour into a tall glass filled with ice; add a splash or two of club soda for fizz and garnish with a crushed sprig of mint.
SHANGHAI TWIST
Serves 2 teetotalers
This exotic virgin cocktail - or mocktail - is "practically the fountain of youth," says Duggan McDonnell, owner of Cantina in San Francisco. It's made with an antioxidant-rich mixture of lemon, white tea and aloe vera juice, and sweetened naturally with agave nectar. So raise your glasses and say "Gan bei!" (Chinese for "Dry the cup!")
8 oz. near boiling water
1 bag Chinese white tea
1 Tbs. aloe vera juice
1 Tbs. agave nectar
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon
6 oz. Reed's Original Ginger Brew, or other natural ginger ale
Steep the tea bag, aloe vera juice and agave nectar in a mug of hot water for about 5 minutes, stirring gently. Remove the tea bag, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Fill two tall glasses with ice and pour in tea mixture, lemon juice, and ginger brew. Stir and garnish with a lemon slice.
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
Serves 1 avid gardener
Clean and crisp, this garden-fresh cocktail also hails from mixologist Best. The combo of carrot and cucumber juices is guaranteed to boost your daily dose of vitamins, and the surprise ingredient, Cynar, is an Italian liqueur thought to aid digestion. You'll need a handy juice bar or a juicer.
3 oz. fresh carrot juice
1/2 oz. fresh cucumber juice
1/2 oz. Cynar, an Italian herbal liqueur
1 oz. Square One organic vodka, naturally fermented
1 sprig of sage, clapped between your hands to bruise it
and release the fragrant oils
Thoroughly mix all liquids. Serve on the rocks in a double old-fashioned glass. Clap the sage between your hands to bruise it and release its fragrant oils,
GRAND TROPICAL TOUCH
Serves 1 smoothie lover
Made with fresh fruit puree and plain yogurt, it's easy to see how this smoothie-like cocktail made the healthy list. But it's the soy vodka that adds the wow. There's only one on the market right now - 3 Vodka - says this drink's mixologist, Fred Rhode of Hurricanes Lounge in Hemingway's at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando.
1¼ oz. soy vodka
2 oz. pureed fresh fruit (use passion fruit, mango, pineapple,
strawberry, guava, banana or a combination of two)
2 oz. plain yogurt
Either combine all ingredients in a blender with ice cubes and puree into a frozen slush, or mix ingredients together and pour over crushed ice. Serve in a tall glass garnished with fruit.
ESSENCE-OF-SUMMER SANGRIA
Serves 4 to 6 on the patio
Everyone knows a little red wine may be good for you. And fresh fruit, absolutely. So kudos to the Spanish, who have instinctively been putting the two together for centuries, often with a splash of rum or brandy. This recipe gets a fruity twist from mixologist Rhode, who uses Cointreau, an orange liqueur, instead, to enhance the flavor of the fruit. Start this recipe the day before.
1 bottle red wine 1 oz. Cointreau
Mixed fresh fruit, sliced (typically, lemons, limes, oranges,
apples and/or pineapple)
Club soda, optional
Combine the red wine and Cointreau, add fruit, and marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. To serve, pour over a few ice cubes in a red wine glass. Top off with club soda if you like your drinks sparkling.
There's your cocktail menu sorted. Now just put together some deliciously healthy nibbles to match and start practicing your toasts. Here's one from us: Drink to your health!
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