Happy National Cranberry Day!
It’s no coincidence this delicious celebration falls so close to the holiday season. With cranberry sauce, desserts and cocktails aplenty, November 21st has now become the unofficial kick-off to Christmas!
To toast the occasion, Ashley Flynn from the Drake Hotel has put her award-winning bartending skills to the test and created the top five holiday cranberry mocktails and cocktails for the season.
Creating twists on the spicy margarita, mojito, French 75 and more, Ashley developed three mouthwatering mocktails and two cocktails that are guaranteed to add an extra sparkle to your holiday celebrations.
So whether you’re practicing sober curiosity, you’re pregnant, or you want a drink with less than five ingredients, Ashley has you covered. Her secret ingredient is Ocean Spray Sparkling, the only sparkling cranberry juice on the market, so you know you’re getting a one-of-a-kind. Their cranberry-mango is flying off shelves, so Ashley starts her drink journey here.
Made with real fruit juice and no artificial flavours or sweeteners, are there any better cranberry hands to be in than Ocean Spray? We think not – so raise your glass this holiday season and make them extra cran-merry!
Mocktails:
Cran-Mango Tango: Inspired by the spicy margarita, tis’ a fiery sip with a cranberry mango twist!
Ingredients:
1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1.5 oz pineapple juice
5 dashes of jalapeño hot sauce
Top with Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry Mango
Tajin rim the glass
Basil sprig to garnish
Serve in a double old fashioned glass over ice
Sage Advice: A family favourite featuring cucumber and sage; the perfect stuffing pairing
Ingredients:
1.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
3 cucumber coins (light muddle)
3 sage leaves (light muddle)
Top with Ocean Spray Sparkling Lite Cranberry
Garnish with sage sprig
Serve in a Collins glass filled with ice
Cucumber ribbon to garnish the inside of the glass
Merry Nojito: A festive non-alcoholic twist on a mojito with pomegranate and cranberries
Ingredients:
1/2 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1.5 oz pomegranate juice
6 mint leaves
Top with Ocean Spray Sparkling Pink Cranberry
Garnish with a mint sprig, pomegranate seeds and shaved cinnamon
Serve in a Collins glass filled with ice
Cocktails:
Pink Cranberry Kiss: A pink twist on the French 75; the only NYE kiss you’ll need
Ingredients:
1.5 oz vodka
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz lychee juice (from canned lychees)
Top with Ocean Spray Sparkling Pink Cranberry
Garnish with a skewer of cranberries and spray with rose water aromatic
Serve in a flute
Getting Figgy With It: Seasonal fig flavours with rum and mulling spices for a special holiday treat
Ingredients
1.5 oz Flor de Caña 12 Year Rum
1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 figs, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon mulling spices
Top with Ocean Spray Sparkling Cranberry
Muddle and shake over ice
Strain into a coupe glass, garnish with fresh skewered fig