Why is it that restaurants go to great lengths to promote their specialty cocktails, wine & beer lists, & martinis, but don't include even one non-alcoholic mocktail or mamatini as I like to call them? I was in San Francisco last weekend with some dear girlfriends and we went to one of our favorite restaurants for dinner Saturday night. This restaurant was a long standing tradition for us, it was a place we frequented when it was one of our birthdays, or we were celebrating a life milestone, or for no reason at all. We had our routine down pat: order a dirty vodka martini w/3 olives at the bar while we waited for our table, get to the table, order a bottle of wine to share with dinner, then a night-cap at another favorite San Francisco establishment. Well our little routine had to be slightly altered this weekend as 3 of the 4 of us are expecting. We marched to the bar like we always had, but the response from the bartender was a little bit different: "we'd like 3 martinis", he smiles flirtatiously, "but with no alcohol", he frowns, "I don't know how to make drinks with no alcohol", well we must have been saved by the preggo Gods because just then the hostess came and sat us at our table. We smiled and told the bartender "we'll figure something out, & when you see an order for 3 non-alcoholic mocktails you'll know who ordered them". Determined to order a mamatini we scoured the menu for something we could turn into a virgin beverage. "Here we go, you could order a Mandarin Sunrise" says our 1 non-preggo friend (she has a 10-month old at home). Excitedly we huddle over the menu, Mandarin Sunrise: Absolut Mandarin, Orange Juice, a splash of Orange liqueur, finished with grenadine. "Hmmmm, so basically we are ordering a glass of orange juice" says my newest preggo girlfriend. The same proved true for the rest of the cocktail list. We ended up with 1 7Up, 1 Soda water with lime, and 1 7Up with a splash of cran. Not quite the same experience as sipping a dirty martini or a glass of pinot noir as we had so many visits before. So here's my plea to all you restaurateurs out there: create a mocktail, mamatini, or prego drink, for all of us preggos. I'd be willing to pay almost as much as a regular cocktail just to have something other than soda water with lime to sip on, preferably out of a fancy glass with elaborate garnish as well. This takes nothing more than an ounce of creativity and a couple of lines on the cocktail menu, it will boost the bill and make for many-a-return visit by preggos and their girlfriends.
In the meantime, for you preggos out there I have done a little R&D on some fun non-alcoholic drinks to ask of your friendly bartender, for dinner parties, or when you are at home, enjoy!
Izze comes in a variety of yummy flavors including: pomegranate, clementine, blueberry, pear, blackberry, and more. Made with real fruit.
Dry created by a pregnant woman who loved champagne and shared in my frustration of having nothing fun to drink in social settings. Flavors include: lavender, lemon grass, kumquat, & rhubarb. Low calorie, subtle in flavor, and delicious!
San Pellegrino makes a lemon and an orange sparkling soda in a can. Serve in a wine glass. One of my favorites!
Martinelli sparkling cider. There are also various other brands that make sparkling fruit juices and come in champagne-esque bottles. Not bad!
Clausthaler non-alcoholic beer. Definitely the closest to the real deal. Add a lime for a citrus kick.
Bloody Virgin Mary the classic. Mix clamato juice with Mr & Mrs T's Bloody Mary mix, add horseradish, Tabasco, pepper, celery salt, & Worcestershire sauce, shake over ice & pour into a martini glass, garnish with lime, olives, celery & a pepperocini. Tastes just like the real thing!
Mamamosa in lieu of champagne use sparkling water mixed with fresh squeezed orange juice, bubbly just like the real thing and a good dose of vitamin C for baby!
Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri thaw 1 package of sweetened frozen strawberries and blend with lime juice and ice. You can add a little rum to your honey's or your non-preggo girlfriends' for big points with them. (thanks Judith:)
Italian soda pick your favorite Torani syrup flavor (you can buy these at any grocery store), add soda water, serve over ice. Adding cream is optional as well.
Blackberry limeade mix frozen limeade concentrate with water & 7up if you want some bubbles. Freeze fresh blackberries & water in an ice tray. Serve limeade over blackberry ice cubes. Pretty & refreshing.
Spritzer add soda water or 7up/Sprite to just about any type of juice (orange, cranberry, pineapple, guava). Try a fancy juice such as Odwalla or Naked juice they make amazing flavors such as mango, strawberry/banana, berry, etc. Garnish with fruit and serve in a fancy glass.
Arnold Palmer half and half decaf iced tea and lemonade. Try making fresh lemonade by squeezing lemons, adding simple syrup & water to taste. Serve in a pint glass with a lemon wedge.
Who says Mocktails & Mamatinis can't be FUN! Cheers!
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