Taking inspiration from a summer garden or a salad you love is just as valid in serving up a tasty drink. If you like nonalcoholic drinks that are more on the refreshing and tart side than sweet, and free of carbonation, you're going to need to mix up one of these right away. (If you prefer a sweeter drink, you could try substituting fresh muddled berries in place of the cucumber. You do you ) Cucumber and fresh herbs are a well known and not entirely inspired combination, but sometimes I have to remember the good classics are there for a reason and deserve our attention still.
In this mocktail, the cucumber adds a refreshing side note to a classic sweet-sour-herbal blend. The Herb Garden syrup makes this zero proof drink a very easy pour, since the fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme have already been carefully infused at different lengths of time and different strengths, for a syrup flavor that is layered and contains the flavors of three of our favorite herbs. When we make the Herb Garden syrup we start with pounds of fresh herbs from the Simple Goodness Farm so you get a ton of flavor without having to have any fresh herbs on hand. The fresh sprig as a garnish does look pretty in this drink and smells incredible as you enjoy your alcohol free cocktail, but you can skip it if you don't grow them or have them handy.
What actually matters most to me when I am reaching for something nonalcoholic, I've realized, is taste, and convenience. Do I have these ingredients in my garden or pantry? Yes? Well then I am about to have a great drink! If not, I'll likely stray from my healthy mocktail choice or, sadly, stick to water. I love that this recipe requires only what I have at the ready in July and August.
Probably my most common request when mocktail making is for the creation of recipes without seltzer. Seltzer is a common replacement for liquor to fill up the glass and dillute the flavors of a mocktail without adding sugar or other, conflicting flavors. Many people don't tolerate carbonation, though, so this mocktail recipe is seltzer free and served flat. You can choose to sub in seltzer, if you prefer it and want some bubbles.
The tiny addition of salt may seem strange but trust me on this: if you use the smallest sprinkling, you won't actually taste the salt in the drink, the salt will merely wake up your taste buds so that other flavors become mpore pronounced.
