Phase and care: Phase 2. Use seedless berries, or strain out the seeds, since seeds are harder for some of us. Basil is gentle. Tolerance is personal, so if berries have bothered you before, keep the portion small. Not medical advice.
When you cannot drink, the hardest part is often just standing there with a boring glass while everyone else has something that looks like an occasion. This one fixes that. It is pink, it fizzes, it has a herb garnish, and nobody will ask why you are not drinking.
Ingredients
Makes: 2 glasses · about 65 kcal a glass, no fat to speak of
- 120 g (about 1 cup) berries, seedless where you can: blueberries, hulled strawberries, or a mix
- 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
- juice of half a lemon
- 400 ml (1 and 2/3 cups) chilled sparkling water
- ice
Method
- In a small bowl or a sturdy glass, gently press the berries, basil and honey together with the back of a spoon until the berries break down and the basil smells fragrant.
- Add the lemon juice and stir.
- For a smooth drink, push the mash through a sieve to catch skins and any seeds.
- Divide between two glasses over ice.
- Top with the sparkling water and stir once.
- Garnish with a whole basil leaf and a couple of berries.
Serve it in a nice glass. That part is not a joke. Half of feeling normal at a party is holding something that looks like it belongs in your hand.
Stepan’s Rule: Seedless berries, real glass, proper garnish. Zero alcohol never has to mean zero occasion.
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