Lebarparis revealed the recipes for the cocktails served during the Olympics opening ceremony. Today, their head bartender Chene Vallee explains the strategy for making the alcohol-free version of the cocktails, without losing sight of one goal: “maintaining the aromatic range” of the initial recipe.
“A mocktail does not seek to reproduce the taste of alcohol”
The goal when creating a mocktail is to “prepare something surprising, without reproducing the taste of alcohol, but to create a new one, with meaning and innovation.” When preparing a non-alcoholic cocktail, we do not replace alcohol with “a mixture of fruit and sugar,” but by thinking differently. To do this, “keep a balanced and “low sugar” mindset (limit the amount of added sugar)” and replace alcohol with syrups or infusions, whose aromas will allow us to maintain the same spirit of flavors as the original cocktail.
Each alcohol has its own aromatic range
“My recommendation for replacing alcohol when preparing a mocktail is to carefully select its aromatic range. Typically, for a rumwe will work on the sweet side of the cane, by adding cordials” (a homemade syrup that is prepared with water, sugar and a fruit juice of your choice), and of course spices (the infusion process being the perfect element to make cocktails and add spices of all kinds). For the rum, I opt for a mixture of four spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. ».
To replace the whiskey where the cognac“work the “orchard fruit” flavor with apple, pear, quince or even grape. For the sweet side, use nut cordials (hazelnut or pecan) to accompany it all.”
Instead of gin or of the vodkaopt instead for “seasonal red fruit flavors, combined with a floral cordial” (use naturally sweet flowers, such as elderberry or pansy, to infuse in lightly sweetened water).
Finally, if you want to replace the tequila where the triple sec“citrus fruits will go best”, such as orange, grapefruit or lemon. To enhance these preparations, “don’t hesitate to work the cocktail with a saline solution, by integrating, for 1 liter of water, 5 g of salt. The best formula would then be to prepare a mixture of fruits, such as pineapple, with an infusion of green tea, a pepper cordial (for the sweet side) and sparkling water (slightly salted) to unite everything”.
To replace a carbonated alcohol, such as prosecco“don’t hesitate to work with naturally carbonated sparkling water and natural sweeteners, such as clear pressed apple juice or white grape juice.”
As to Champagne“the closest thing to its aromatic range are orchard products, such as apple, quince or verjuice (a pressing of young grapes, and therefore very acidic and a good substitute for lemon in mocktails).” To replace champagne in a mocktail, “add a rhubarb cordial. To loosen it all up, pour a verbena lightly infused with sparkling water.”
The essential step for a good mocktail
As with any cocktail, “it is crucial to limit any industrial product, often chemically too sweet (like fruit juices, sodas, etc.). The more quality elements you put together, the better the final blend will be.” So opt for pressed fruit juices, homemade infusions, and, for syrups, choose products with little processing and added sugar.
*Lebarparis is a company dedicated to the creation of cocktails for private events
https://lebarparis.com/
