• 
• 

Published on December 12, 2007

With the festive season just a few weeks away, many of us are already planning parties, as well as the tasty dishes we'll be serving over Christmas and the New Year.

For those who enjoy alcohol and don't have to think about driving, there are plenty of drinks from which to choose, ranging from beer to wine and cocktails, shaken, blended and stirred.

But for non-alcohol drinkers, the options are much more limited. Soft drinks and juices are often less interesting than those fancy cocktails served in a tall glass and garnished with a piece of lime.

So why not opt for a mocktail? These non-alcoholic cocktails - sometimes called virgin cocktails - are easy to make, as the recipe is modified by simply leaving out alcohol. But the overall taste and feel of the drink stays the same.

Simple tropical fruits can be found at any supermarket and even at street fruit stalls. Two favourite thirst quenchers - pineapple and dragon fruit - are currently the stars of a range of mocktails to welcome the cool season.

Offer mocktails to guests when hosting a party as an alternative to alcoholic drinks. Remember: non-alcoholic cocktails allow your guests to partake and enjoy the spirit of the season responsibly.

Dragon Claus

Ingredients

 1 Red dragon fruit

 2 packs of Equal sugar

  Salt

  Crushed ice

 1 white dragon fruit

  (scoop out the meat,

  use shell as a container)

Method

Blend all ingredients in the blender with crushed ice until creamy smooth. Serve in the white dragon fruit.

Virgin Banana Colada

Ingredients

 1 banana

 170ml pineapple juice

 15ml coconut milk

  Crushed ice

Ingredients

Mix all ingredients in a shaker and pour into an unusually shaped glass. Add crushed ice and decorate with mint.

Dragon Claus is being served at the Crossroad Bar of Swissotel Le Concorde until the end of December.

Juthamas Cholthavornpong

 The Nation