Ideas for what to order at a bar when you don't want booze

I did this before I was ready to announce my pregnancy. I wanted to make it appear that I was drinking alcohol so I wouldn’t have to answer any questions. I’m a terrible liar!

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Yes, some friends have told me the same thing.

My sister is expecting and won’t be drinking my homemade coquito at Christmas so I am making the pomegranate and orange peel fizz from the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook which calls for a simple syrup made with orange peel. It’s described like a negroni without booze - bitter and not too sweet. I’ll report back on this one!

Something I would mix up for my friend who does not drink:

Can of seltzer, maybe an ounce or two of Rose’s Lime Juice, and a splash of juice from a jar of Maraschino cherries.

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Shrubs are popular & trendy right now. They’re also delicious. They are typically mixed with sparkling water. All sorts of booze can be added but they’re very tasty without. Blueberry-Ginger is a common flavor. Shrubs are fruit syrups made with fruit, sugar & vinegar. Cider vinegar is the most common but I’ve had a Strawberry-Balsamic Shrub that was very good.

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You can get a lot of mileage out of adding a sprig of an herb to something citrusy - like adding sprig of rosemary or thyme to a glass of something lemony and stirring it a bit.

Be careful not to have too much tonic water in one evening (and none if one is pregnant) as too much of the quinine in it will mildly poison you, causing ringing in your ears and dizziness. A lot of newer non-alcoholic cocktails use tonics, so just file that awareness in the back of your head when perusing a menu.

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