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Mocktail game-changer: New book offers 100 sophisticated booze-free and low-alcohol recipes

‘Zero Proof Drinks & More’ brings the complexity of cocktails to alcohol-free drinks.

Whether you’re joining the sober curious crowd or just dialing back your drinking, you still deserve a good happy hour sip. A new book, released in the middle of Dry January, is a game-changer for filling the cocktail void.

Zero Proof Drinks & More: 100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails, by Maureen Petrosky ($24.95, Robert Rose Books), brings the complexity of sophisticated cocktails to alcohol-free drinks, and the last of its six chapters features some low-alcohol drinks, too. Besides innovative mocktail recipes, the book is filled with gorgeous photos that inspire chic presentations for drinks at home.

Petrosky has been a recurring guest on The Today Show, whipping up boozy drinks alongside Hoda and Jenna — and earlier, Kathie Lee. Her previous book, The Cocktail Club, featured stylish cocktails that are simple to make. With Zero Proof, her recipes tap into a trend: going booze free — for a month, or forever — or merely reducing alcohol intake.

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Petrosky saw the trend gain steam in Manhattan two summers ago. Not only did she notice some alcohol-free bars, but “almost every restaurant had non-alcoholic drinks on the menu,” she says. “I saw a desire for craft cocktails without alcohol that were suitable for adults — not sweet drinks with swirly straws, but ones that feel sophisticated and indulgent,” Petrosky says.

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The dry movement also hit close to home, as Petrosky’s husband and many of her friends gave up alcohol. Their reasons ranged from marathon-running to simply getting a better night’s sleep.

“I started creating drinks that didn’t have alcohol, to host my friends. I like to dote over my guests and do things over-the-top,” Petrosky says. But when it comes to drink recipes, she raises the bar, demanding ease of preparation on top of elegance and complex flavors. “Everything I do has to be pretty and simple — it can’t be too complicated,” Petrosky says. Before long, Petrosky had created enough sophisticated mocktails to make a book.

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Maureen Petrosky wrote Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol...
Maureen Petrosky wrote Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails.(Robert Rose Publishing)

Although none of Zero Proof’s recipes are difficult, many of them require advance preparation of crucial components: shrubs and syrups. Shrubs (vinegar-fruit syrups) and flavored simple syrups are common to craft cocktails, and they’re also essential for lending mocktails complexity. Since they keep for months in the fridge, Petrosky recommends making shrubs and syrups in advance. With these homemade ingredients on hand, on a moment’s notice you can make balanced drinks that show good acidity and layered flavors. The first chapter includes recipes for eight flavored syrups, nine shrubs, and several other flavor enhancers.

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The book’s mocktail recipes range from refreshing aperitifs and spritzes to riffs on classic cocktails. The No-Groni — a zero-proof version of the Negroni — gets a botanical boost from Juniper Berry Syrup, made with crushed juniper berries, orange peel, and fresh rosemary; the traditional Campari is replaced with Sanbitter, a similarly flavored Italian soda (sold at Jimmy’s Food Store ). The New-Fashioned, an alcohol-free take on an Old-Fashioned, gets a welcome bitter note from an infusion Petrosky calls Hop Water; it’s as easy to make as brewing tea — just pour boiling water over dried hops and steep.

The Apricot Flip recipe offers an ingenious substitute for the traditional raw egg that gives flips their froth: the liquid from a can of chickpeas, called aquafaba.

“I love a flip, or a whiskey sour — I love the frothy mouthfeel of cocktails like that. But I couldn’t figure out how to replicate the creamy mouthfeel without egg whites and a lot of sugar,” Petrosky says. Then she discovered aquafaba. Although the liquid from any canned beans will work, Petrosky says the chickpea liquid has the most neutral flavor. Aquafaba is a good option for vegans and those with egg allergies who crave a flip.

A chapter on aperitifs and spritzes includes some of the easiest drinks. The Rosemary Pear Bellini is a bubbly, brunch-worthy sip made with pear nectar, lemon juice, club soda and rosemary. The Gunner Cocktail, made with ginger ale, ginger beer, Rose’s Lime Juice, and Angostura bitters is another easy fix, requiring no prep work.

Included in the “Day Drinks” chapter are a handful of shandy or radler recipes based on non-alcoholic beers. Herbs play a big role in other refreshing drinks, like the Cilantro Highball, which melds lemongrass, cilantro and ginger with lime juice and coconut water.

There’s also a chapter with 14 punches and pitcher drink recipes for when we start entertaining crowds again. Although alcohol-free, they have adult flavor profiles that don’t veer into cloying sweetness. Jalapeño & Honeydew Sangria has a chile pepper kick, and Ginger Kombucha & Cucumber Punch shows zingy acidity, plus a balance of sweet, sour and spicy notes.

The final chapter includes recipes for low-alcohol drinks — soda-laced spritzes, sours and coolers — for those who want some alcohol. But Zero Proof’s genius lies in making alcohol-free drinks as alluring and enjoyable as their boozy brethren.

Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer.

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Recipes from Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails,...
Recipes from Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails, by Maureen Petrosky(Robert Rose Publishing)

New-Fashioned

Ice cubes

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2 ounces Quick Hop Water (recipe follows)

1⁄2 ounce Vanilla Honey Syrup (recipe below)

1⁄2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

2 dashes Angostura bitters

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1 lemon slice

In a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine Quick Hop Water, Vanilla Honey Syrup, lemon juice and bitters. Stir until chilled.

Strain into an Old-Fashioned glass half-filled with ice cubes, or use 1 or 2 large cubes instead.

Garnish with lemon slice.

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Makes 1 drink.

Vanilla Honey Syrup: In a small pot, combine 1 cup honey and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, until all of the honey is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Add 2 tablespoons vanilla extract when cooled. Pour into a squeeze bottle or container with a lid, such as a Mason jar. Store for up to 4 weeks in the fridge (if syrup crystallizes or gets too thick to mix, microwave it until it becomes liquid and clear again; check and stir after every 10 seconds in the microwave). Makes about 2 cups.

Quick Hop Water: Some drinks, such as the New-Fashioned, call for regular (flat) hop water; just follow this recipe. Hop water is perfect if you love the bitterness of IPAs and other hoppy beers. It doesn’t taste exactly like beer but has a similar bitter finish. And it’s not only alcohol-free, it’s calorie-free too.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Place 1/2 cup dried hops (available online at Amazon and brewing supply stores) in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the strength you want. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and set it over another bowl. Use this to strain out the hops. Let cool. Pour into a container with a lid and store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Makes about 4 cups.

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Source: Adapted from Zero Proof Drinks & More by Maureen Petrosky

Recipes from Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails,...
Recipes from Zero Proof Drinks & More:100 Recipes for Mocktails and Low Alcohol Cocktails, by Maureen Petrosky(Robert Rose Publishing)

Apricot Flip

A flip is a drink that includes sugar and is shaken with an egg. In place of the egg, this recipe calls for aquafaba — that remarkable liquid left over from chickpeas — to create its thick, smooth texture.

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Ice cubes

3 ounces apricot juice, chilled

1 1⁄2 ounces aquafaba (liquid drained from canned chickpeas)

1 ounce Lemon Lime Shrub (recipe follows)

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1⁄2 ounce Vanilla Syrup or Almond Syrup (recipe follows)

1 ounce club soda

1 sprig fresh thyme or other fresh herb

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes and add apricot juice, aquafaba, Lemon Lime Shrub, and Vanilla or Almond Syrup. Shake until chilled and foamy. Add club soda and stir. Strain into a glass. Using a spoon, take the froth that’s left in the shaker and use it to top the cocktail. Garnish with thyme.

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Makes 1 drink.

Vanilla or Almond Syrup: In a small pot, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until all of the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely. After the syrup cools, add 1 to 2 tablespoons vanilla or almond extract. Pour into a squeeze bottle or a container with a lid, such as a Mason jar. Store for up to 4 weeks in the fridge. Makes about 2 cups.

Lemon Lime Shrub

This is your all-purpose shrub — its flavors are versatile and play well with others in the glass. Keep a batch in the fridge and you’ll be ready to whip up lots of amazing drinks in minutes.

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3 lemons

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, strained

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Using a vegetable peeler, peel lemons; try to avoid the bitter pith (white part). It helps if you don’t press too hard with the peeler. Place the strips of lemon peel in a nonreactive bowl. Add sugar and stir, pressing on the peel with your spoon to help release the flavor. Cover and let stand until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has turned into a syrup. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to overnight, depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Juice the lemons with a juicer or by hand; you want 1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 cups juice. (It will depend on the size and juiciness of the lemons.) Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the lemon juice into a bowl. Add vinegar and lime juice.

Once the sugar mixture is ready, discard the peels and pour the syrup into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, such as a Mason jar. Add the juice-and-vinegar mixture. Stir or shake to combine.

Store for up to 6 months in the fridge. Shrubs tend to separate, so shake well just before using.

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Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Variations:

Use a bit less vinegar if you prefer a milder taste, or use a bit more if you want your cocktails to have a stronger bite.

Swap out the lemons with yuzu to make a Yuzu Shrub instead. In case you’re not yet acquainted with yuzu, it looks like a lumpy lime and tastes like a cross between a lemon, a lime and a grapefruit.

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Source: Adapted from Zero Proof Drinks & More by Maureen Petrosky