San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Cocktails as light as the days are hot
It’s a million degrees out there and, frankly, I’m in no mood to play bartender — be it for myself or the rare, well-masked visitor to my cozy abode. I mean, who has the energy for all that stirring and shaking when the triple-digit heat has sapped all vitality from our rapidly withering husks?
And while this rant is underway, it might as well be noted that staying hydrated is hard enough without alcohol right now. Let’s be honest: Chugging gallon after gallon of water is no fun.
So, over the past few scorching weeks, I’ve found a few satisfactory ways to lighten the boozy intake that also manage to feel refreshing. The secret: summery, low-alcohol cocktails made with sparkling water, flavored nonalcoholic seltzers and a wide range of interesting sodas available on area grocery store shelves, and just the lightest touch of booze.
These sippers are both quenching and economical. As deliberately diluted as these drinks are, cracking open that pricey 20-year bourbon or popping the cork on a well-aged wine wouldn’t do those bottles any justice, so your wallet can take a breather by using cheaper bottles — and using less of that booze.
Most conventional cocktails are made with roughly 2 ounces of hard spirits, which will sap any and all remaining energy from anyone spending more than a few minutes outside after a drink or two. I’ve cut that back to a half-ounce in all my concoctions.
Similarly, a standard 6-ounce pour of wine has been scaled back to 3 ounces. A simple garnish, be it a lemon wheel, fresh berries or a sprig of aromatic herbs, is all it takes to elevate these lightweights to star status.
Sparkling water, flavored or not, is the lightest and most refreshing way to go here. You’ll keep the calorie count down and not get overwhelmed by sweetness with DIY drinks that trump any prepackaged boozy seltzer.
Familiar cocktail flavor rules apply to all of these libations: Mimic a margarita with limeflavored water and a touch of tequila. Use grapefruit sparkling water for something more akin to a paloma. Lemon water and gin sips like a gin fizz. Tropical fruits like mango, passion fruit and guava waters are perfect with a short pour of rum. Vodka, with its neutral flavor, works with just about anything.
A personal fave has been a half-ounce of gin topped with a citrus-flavored sparkling water, such as Waterloo’s grapefruit or H-E-B’s lemon, with a garnish of a fresh berry or two. The result feels fancy and celebratory without taking the wind out of my sails. I’ve also enjoyed coconutflavored sparkling waters made by companies such as Cascade
Ice (also available at H-E-B locations) with a splash of rum and a wedge of lime for a breezy island vibe.
My editor, Emily Spicer, recently turned me onto one of her similar solutions: a classic wine spritzer — normally a half-andhalf mix of wine and club soda — with a Texas twist. She suggests mixing a fruity, acidic wine such as sauvignon blanc with a big pour of Topo Chico, all served over ice. I gave it a try and tossed a lemon wheel on top for a touch of glam, and I’m an instant convert. If you’re looking for cocktails that are a little more robust with a touch of sweetness, sodas are the way to go. But pass on the Sprite, Coke or Big Red in favor of something with a little more dazzle.
I’m a big fan of Central Market’s line of Organic Italian Sodas (available at most H-E-B locations). It bottles a wide range of interesting flavors such as pomegranate (from which the common cocktail ingredient grenadine is made), prickly pear (try this with a dash of tequila) and exotic fruits like camu camu and baobab.
A personal favorite is the peach thyme soda. I play on its herbaceousness with a halfounce of whiskey and a sprig of rosemary as a garnish in a rocks glass filled with ice. The flavor feels like a party, but the regrets are minimal after three or four rounds.