It is the holiday season, and that means parties! And drinks! And hangovers.
Oh my…
If you’re tired of, well, being tired after every get-together this year, then it’s time to embrace the world of mocktails! A mocktail is a cocktail without the booze, and with a few good recipes and mixers they are every bit as tasty as their alcohol-fueled doppelgangers that leave you staggering towards the New Year with a throbbing headache and a resolution list a mile long.
This year, tea is spicing up the mocktail shaker like never before. It’s diverse, it’s delicious, and it’s the perfect way to get a healthy picker-upper from your highball glass instead of being picked up off the floor. From fresh, fragrant herbal teas to the presumptuous boldness of a dusky green, these easy mocktail recipes will bring in the cheery and throw out the bleary at all your holiday parties this year.
Malabar Fizz
This refreshing concoction is a perfect punch for any winter party that needs some transportation to less frosty shores. The Malabar Coast is on the western side of the lower tip of India, and it’s where spices like cinnamon and black pepper grow in abundance in the humid equatorial air.
This mocktail is a clever infusion of tamarind simple syrup and our spicy-aromatic Autumn Breeze herbal tea that brings together all the exotic flavors of the Sub-Continent in an elegant champagne coupe. It’s a perfect partner for the cloves and ginger that sneak into all our favorite desserts and treats during the holidays.
Malabar Fizz
2 oz Autumn Breeze herbal tea from Leaves of Leisure
1 oz Tamarind simple syrup (1 c water, 1 c sugar, 1 tsp Tamarind paste plus more to taste. Boil to dissolve sugar and let sit 10 minutes to infuse. Strain.)
A squeeze of lime
Seltzer water—or dare we say it, tonic water for a more authentic experience!
Twist of lime or mint leaves
Combine the tea, simple syrup, and lime in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and pour into a champagne coupe. Finish with the seltzer or tonic water and garnish with a twist of lime or mint leaves. 
Earl Grey Havens
This non-alcoholic take on a Negroni is sure to be a favorite at any holiday party. Bergamot oil comes from bitter oranges that grow on the southern tip of the Italian boot in Calabria and Sicily. Campari—the main mixer in a Negroni—is a wonderfully complex aperitif with a secret blend of bitter herbs, zests, and spices including wormwood to gentian root. Tea is one of the only things out there that can match (and exceed!) the breadth and nuance of these curious liquors and spirits from the Apennine, and we know this regret-free mocktail will be a talking point for your high-pallated guests.
Earl Grey Havens
2 oz Snow Angel herbal tea from Leaves of Leisure
1 oz Earl Grey tea (decaf or with caffeine for a boost!)
1 oz Juniper and coriander simple syrup (1 c water, 1 c sugar, 6 crushed juniper berries and 1 tsp coriander seed. Boil to dissolve sugar and let sit 10 minutes to infuse. Strain.)
A few splashes of orange bitters
Lemon peel
Stir Snow Angel herbal tea, Earl Grey tea, juniper simple syrup, and bitters over ice. Pour into a highball glass, and garnish with lemon peel.