Man - Mocktails: More Than 50 Recipes for Delicious Non-Alcoholic Cocktails, Punches, and More

Copyright Richard Man, 2018, 2019.

Photos Simon Bajada, 2018

First Published by Bonnier Fakta, Stockholm, Sweden, 2018 as Alkoholfritt (978-91-7424-854-8) Published in the English Language by arrangement with Bonnier Rights, Stockholm, Sweden

First Racehorse Publishing edition, 2019.

Translation 2019 by Racehorse Publishing

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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Interior and cover photography by Simon Bajada

Graphic Art design by Karl Stefan Andersson

ISBN: 978-1-63158-469-5

E-Book ISBN: 978-1-63158-470-1

Printed in China

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

I have worked with alcoholic beverages since I was fifteen years oldOK, eighteen then, so as not to ruffle any feathers. I grew up in a popular tavern environment that has a long-standing place in Swedish food culture and is near and dear to the heart of the Swedish everyman. A typical meal is comprised of four small entres with a sweet and sour sauce and ending with a dessert of deep-fried banana la mode... you know the drill. My parents arrived in Sweden from Hong Kong to try their luck during the 1960s and 70s. Their recipe for success turned out to be a Chinese hole-in-the-wall restaurant and a bar with musical entertainment in an industrial town in the province of Dalarna/Dalecarlia. In that bar, I got to know all the syrupy 90s crooners and learned to mix a grog. The latter took me to bartending jobs in Stockholm, London, New York, Barcelona... the world. During this journey the grog progressively morphed into cocktails, while I transformed myself from a hip guy from Dalecarlia into a nerda food and beverage nerd. I am such a geek that I also got myself a masters degree in Chemical Engineering from KTH (Kungliga Tekniska HgskolanThe Royal Institute of Technology), not because I wanted to dabble in nanotechnology, but because food and drink, in its purest form, is just thatchemistry. Through the years Ive held titles such as tavern keeper, sommelier, and Bacardi Ambassador, and was named Innovator of The Year by the Swedish Bartenders Association in 2016.

I love my job, but alcohol in and of itself has never been the main attraction for me; its the experience I can create and deliver to a guest that inspires me. This is the skill I have always wanted to develop. Many of my own favorite food and beverage experiences have been alcohol-free. Its probably because they took place in cultures where alcohol doesnt feature as prominently as it does in Swedish life. However, in Sweden, celebrations, holidays, and other festive occasions are typically associated with the consumption of alcohol, whether were hosting a dinner at home or were invited to a party.

My first real eye-opener with non-alcoholic beverages in combination with food happened when my wife and I were expecting our first child. We often ate in restaurants, and the restaurants we frequented had ambitions to provide great food, drink, and service. Sadly, it quickly became obvious how the experience can be ruined when neither high-standard service nor well-thought-out drink recommendations take the teetotal dining guest into consideration. Hoping to improve the situation, I started to look for tannins in tomato stalks and pleasing sipping quality through means other than alcohol strength. At the same time, I got involved in the Fotografiskas (The Museum of Photography) venture focusing on alcohol-free bar offerings and mindful consumption, and the food and beverage nerd in me reemerged.

Over the last few years I have also put a lot of effort into pairing alcohol-free beverages with food. I have done this so often that I now feel that I have something to contribute on the subjectsomething to add to the discussion. A drink must taste good, whether it contains alcohol or not. A beverage served with food must suit the food, whether the beverage is alcoholic or not. And your dinner company must enjoy a fantastic experience, with or without drinking alcohol.

PAIRING FOOD & DRINK

LIGHT & FRESH DISHES

COMPLEX DISHES

HEARTY & FLAVORFUL DISHES

If you know which dish you want to prepare, look at the list below to find a suitable drink to serve with it. For a more complete explanation of each food category, check out pages 20 to 22.

GRILLED FOODS

RICH DISHES

DESSERTS

CHEESE PLATTER

PAIRING FOOD & DRINK

A successful food and drink combo can happen anywhere. Maybe the supermarkets new breakfast juice makes the chia pudding actually taste edible. The new coffee machine at work can turn the afternoon break into something more than a mere lifesaving pause. Or perhaps the invitation to the Nobel Dinner arrives and you will be able to experience the culmination of hours of painstaking combination planning. Anyone can tell when something doesnt work. You dont need to be an educated sommelier to understand that toothpaste and orange juice is a bad mix. But if you take an interest in food and drink, youll immediately notice when you stumble on that great combination at the breakfast table or at the coffee machine. Perhaps you would also like to know why this particular combination is such a success? There are quite a few tips and tricks for you to find along the road. Call them what you will: philosophies, theories, rules, or whatever. Read them. Learn from them. But never take them so seriously that they remove the fun from it all.

THE ROLE OF THE MEALTIME BEVERAGE

A mealtime drink can serve many functions. Perhaps you drink because youre thirsty, perhaps because youre in the mood for a certain drink, or perhaps because you need it to help you swallow your food. You might also feel that you want something more from your drink. Naturally, youll want something nice to drink when you have prepared a really nice meal. The beverage should taste great on its own, but also suit the food youve taken care to prepare. This book is about the latter kind of drinkthe drink that both tastes good and goes with the food you eat.

A successful food and drink combination can heighten either the food experience or the drink experience. In the best-case scenario, the food and the drink will boost each others qualities and contribute to the whole package, including the ambience, resulting in a greater social atmosphere. Your drink has just the right amount of acidity and freshness, the food on the plate is in perfect harmony, the summer evening feels a few degrees warmer, and suddenly your date is more attractive. If youve ever had this experience, you probably thought that it was due to the alcohol in the drink. It did its job and made everything seem just a little better. You might be right in your assumption. However, Im now going to show you that the same effect can be had without alcohol adding in its two cents.