LCBO Food and Drink Holiday 2016

Pamper your guests with these truly special cocktails that easily transform into alcohol-free drinks. They leave standard-issue vodka and cranberry juice in the dust. Distinctive Drinks BY ESHUN MOTT  •  PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES TSE

THERE ARE MORE THAN a few reasons for our current obsession with the cocktail. All the effort that goes into well-thought-out flavour combinations, beautiful glassware and tasty garnishes make them almost impossible to re- sist. To set the tone for a memorable evening, it’s well worth creating an elaborate signature cocktail for greeting your guests. The good news is that each of these recipes is designed to be created in one big batch—so the effort only goes in once, before your guests arrive.    Another big plus is that all these recipes have been designed to easily transform into equally exceptional alcohol-free drinks simply by removing the alcohol in the recipes—and

presto, without any additional work, you’ll have a non-alcohol version of the same special drink that everyone at your party can enjoy.    Your secret weapon in making these drinks exceptional are flavoured simple syrups. Briefly simmering herbs, spices or chilis with sugar (or honey or maple syrup) and water allows for a level of complexity that is hard to achieve with simple juices or sodas.    Make a big pitcher of your cocktail of choice (each recipe makes eight drinks), place on a serving tray along with glasses and a dish of pretty garnishes, and you have a recipe for the kind of low-key but special hosting we all need more of during the holidays.

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