Cook smart: Non-alcoholic drinks

Recently I’ve been experimenting with interesting options for non-alcoholic drinks — things which are interesting to drink, but also not too highly-flavoured or sweet.

Apart from making a nice change at functions, at home it’s nice to have something chilled in the fridge ready to drink. Especially if you’re not ready for a beer or wine.

Here are some ideas for quick and interesting cool drinks. Serve all with lots of ice.

• Elderflower cordial, made with still or sparkling water, fresh mint and cucumber slices.
• Green tea, brewed then chilled, served with a splash of lime syrup and fresh lime slices.
• Fruit tea (pick a flavour you like) — brew strong then chill and serve with diet lemonade.
• Diet tonic with a dash of lemon or lime syrup and lemon slices
• Ch’i (an old favourite, now available in a ‘zero sugar’ version sweetened with stevia) with fresh mint
• Soda water with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a dash of bitters, served with lemon and lime slices
• Not an alcohol-free idea, but quite a nice retro option: wine spritzer — half white wine and half soda water, garnished with fruit for an 80s vibe!

Recipe Idea

Strawberry and orange iced tea is a sweet (but not too sweet) and refreshing drink that has a festive look about it. You could easily make it in larger quantities.