Non-alcoholic Gin Lime Rickey with cilantro

This is my 1000th post so we are celebrating with a COCKTAIL!  Today is a Rickey. Rickey is a name for a cocktail served in a highball glass made from gin or bourbon, half of a lime squeezed and dropped in the glass, and carbonated water. Little or no sugar is added to the rickey. 

Originally created with bourbon in Washington, D.C. at Shoomaker's bar by bartender George A. This version uses the added flavor of cilantro and a fake gin (see below) and adds a bit of sugar, because gin is naturally bitter, sugar is often used with gin, but rarely with bourbon.

We make Mocktails like this in a demonstration lecture Crafting Mocktails, it is a popular program so if you are in the northern Illinois area and would like to see the program check out the UPCOMING PROGRAM page to see where we will be next.

To make the Fake Gin you follow these simple directions:

Using a quart glass canning jar place the following items in the bottom:

2 tsp juniper berries

Peel of one entire lemon (no pith)

Peel of one orange

1 star anise

1 tsp coriander seed

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp savory

Add 2 cups cold water


Place a cover on the jar and infuse in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours before using. Strain out the solids.  No need to strain out the citrus early, that bitterness from the peel is desired.

We make a kit for crafting this Faux Gin in water for a nonalcoholic version or vodka as an alcoholic version.

Once you have the Fake Gin, then you can make the Lime Rickey

Gin Lime Rickey with Cilantro
1 cup water
Juice of 3 limes
1 cup Fake Gin
3 tablespoons sugar
1 small bunch cilantro
2 limes, quartered
3 cups club soda

Directions:
Combine water, lime juice, fake gin, sugar, cilantro and lime in a pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. To serve, add club soda. 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes (ZucJul)

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes (MustardAug)

September 2019 - Quiche (QuicheSep)

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals (CrockOct)

November 2019 - Pies (PieNov)

December 2019 - Mocktails (MockDec)

Mocktails Need Special Ingredients -- Making a Faux Gin

One of my very popular programs currently is Mocktails.  A wonderful program exploring the flavors of herbs that make excellent cocktail flavors and ingredients.  We explore herb infused simple syrups, herb infused teas and juices and traditional cocktail techniques, like muddling to create unique herb flavors for fun entertaining.  Although the program is alcohol-free all the techniques can be used to make true cocktails as well.  If you are interested in attending a Mocktail Program there are several coming up soon.  Check our the program page of the blog for an up to date list:  Scheduled Programs.

Infused Gin Substitute; Juice Gin Substitute; and Lavender Infused Grape juice

In order to make a Mocktail, you must create alcohol substitutes.  Some alcohols can be easily substituted, like water for vodka or grape juice for wine and sparkling water or ginger ale for champagne.  One of those substitutes is a alternative to Gin.  Gin cannot be easily substituted with a simple beverage.  Juniper is a special flavor in Gin along with other herbs so to create a different version of this you must infuse, or steep, the flavor of juniper into other media.

One technique uses fresh fruit, both the juice and peel combined with juniper berries and other spices to create a flavored beverage you can use in numerous Gin themed drinks.

In the photo above the center jar contains a Juice Gin Substitute made with oranges, blood oranges, lemons and grapefruit infused with rosemary, juniper, cardamom and citrus peel to create a subtly bitter infusion that is very similar to real Gin.

Gin Substitute Juice

To create a non-alcoholic gin and tonic you need to craft a complex flavored juice to use to craft the cocktail and you need some citrus or floral bitters to substitute for the bitterness of the quinine you find in the tonic water.

For the juice infusion

• 3 large grapefruits (pink or regular or both)
• 1 lemon
• 3 oranges (blood orange and regular)
• 8 juniper berries
• 6 cardamom pods
• 1 sprig rosemary

Other

• Sparkling water or soda water
• ice cubes
• Citrus or Floral Bitters

Instructions

1. Peel off some rind off the grapefruit, lemon and orange. You want about 3 5-inch long peels, one or two of each fruit to add to the bottle.
2. Cut the fruit in half and juice into a bowl, don't worry about the fruit flesh falling in.
3. From the bowl, strain the juice through a sieve to catch the meat.
4. Add the juniper berries, cardamom pods and rosemary sprig to a bottle or other vessel with a lid. Add a peel of each citrus fruit and then pour in the strained juices. Shake well.
5. Infuse overnight or for a couple of days or use right away.
6. To create Mocktail: Combine equal amounts of faux gin - juice infusion and sparkling water over ice and add a dash or two of bitters.

Pineapple Basil Gin Cocktail - Weekend Recipe

This is refreshing and tasty and makes a great Cocktail to serve as your signature on New Year's Eve. You can muddle the basil and lime in glasses ahead of time and combine the gin and pineapple in a pitcher and then enjoy conversing with your guests.  Make each glass special with a fun garnish of pineapple rings and wedge of lime.  Being winter, save your basil to make the muddle.

To muddle use a wooden spoon to crush and twist (do not pulverize) the lime and basil together to  release the flavors and juices.  These will then mix with the juice and gin to make a wonderful solution of tasty flavors.

Pineapple Basil Gin Cocktail

3 basil leaves, rolled and sliced into thin strips

1/4 wedge of lime

1/4 cup organic pineapple juice

1 1/2 ounces gin

Ice
Club soda
1 slice pineapple, for garnish
1 lime wedge, for garnish
1 sprig basil, for garnish (optional)

Directions: 
Put basil and lime quarter in the bottom of a glass and muddle. Add pineapple juice, gin, and ice cubes, and top with club soda. Garnish with pineapple slice, lime wedge, or basil sprig.

To find more Herb Cocktails posted this month search MOCKDEC or to find any of the other 2018 monthly recipe themes, use any of these search terms:

   January - Chicken Soup (ChickJan)
  February - Beef Stew (StewFeb)

  March - Jambalaya (JambMar)

  May - Ham and Shrimp Dishes (ShrHamMay)

  June - Bread recipes (BreadJun)

  July - Grilling (GrillJul)

  August- Garden Delights (GardAug)

  September - Salsa, Corn and Jelly (SCJSep)

  October - Squash Dishes  (SquashOct)

  November - Pumpkin Recipes (PumpNov)

   December - Herbal Cocktails (MockDec)