Defining the mocktails a "cocktail without alcohol" is really reductive. The non-alcoholic cocktails that pop up in bartending capitals like New York and London have nothing to envy to the classic drinks made with gin, whiskey or rum. Rather.
Once alcohol-free cocktails such as Shirley Temple and Virgin Colada were relegated to the last pages of the drink lists of clubs and restaurants, offer due to please children and teetotalers. Today, however, mocktails have ceased to be faded versions of large international drinks, and are a rapidly growing segment of the market – and an idea to copy at home too.

Less and less alcohol, up to zero

The culture of drinking is evolving rapidly and in recent years cocktail enthusiasts are growing, as are the opportunities for consumption and the awareness of their own. health. They appreciate each other sophisticated ingredients, balance, balance of flavors and aromas, just like for a wine. With more recipes designed for specific moments, which in addition to the classic out of the meal meet the combination with food and even daytime hours of the day. Cocktails have invaded our days, dinners, lunches, brunches – and not necessarily with an alcohol content, albeit minimal. The new trend of international mixology aims therefore to reduce more and more the gradation of cocktails, whether as an aperitif, after dinner, or as a meal.

In addition to alcohol there is more

"The absence of alcohol is no longer the only main feature of mocktails – explains Alessandro Melis, soul of Indrinkable, bartender sailor, trainer and mixology consultant for many local – today the focus is on the quality and combination of ingredients present (and not on the only absentee!) of this type of drink. They are no longer "without" versions, but recipes built, designed and designed for different times of the day and different occasions of use, "with", so much to offer and to be discovered by the public ".
Today mocktails are so popular that the most fashionable clubs have their own "home" recipes moments of the day, from aperitif to after dinner, and above all new opportunities like brunches and lunches, a time schedule off limits for the bartenders. "In Milan, two of the cocktails that are most successful in the premises where we have studied the drink list, are just two mocktails – goes on Alessandro – and are drunk during the day or at meal time. Acqua di mare is a cocktail based on Mediterranean water, lemon juice, sugar syrup with black pepper and soda, very popular, as well as Scents of Field, made with rosemary syrup, cucumber extract and lime juice " . A breath of summer and spring, but do you drink the same thing all year? Apart from some great classics, absolutely not.

Cocktails are seasonal, like the kitchen

The cocktail bars change the lists every season, such as restaurants, just to be inspired by different ingredients and flavors. Now in winter, we prefer spicy and red fruits, which recall those typical of Christmas. There is no limit to the imagination "because the barmen are no longer content with the products on the market and as chefs prepare their own syrups, extracts and many infusions with which to" cook "the cocktails on the spot," concludes Alessandro. Using the infusions Pompadour has created six exclusive cocktails for Italian Cuisine, such as Cinnamon Red, based on Infuso Garofano and Cinnamon and many other recipes that will be unveiled in the next few months in the magazine and online. The goal is to help readers to try their hand at easy and homely bartending, but effective and in step with the times.
For parties, as an aperitif or after-dinner toast, here is the recipe for the perfect cocktail to accompany the classic bottle of bubbles – which we bet will no longer be so popular.

Cinnamon in Red
1 cup of Infuso Carnation and Cinnamon Pompadour
2 teaspoons of lime juice
1 glass of lemon soda
1 teaspoon of honey
1 pinch of black pepper
Shake the infusion and lime juice with pepper and honey. Pour into a long drink glass with ice and fill with the soda; decorated as desired with red currant.