Mocktail of the Month: Blooded Knees Twist

We’re now entering perhaps the most beautiful time of the year: late summer. For years, it has been meteorologically reliable, offering pleasant to warm temperatures during the day and cooler evenings, where you can still sit outside in a light sweater. Good friends and delicious drinks form the foundation for legendary evenings.

In previous editions of this series, we focused on alcoholic drinks. However, non-alcoholic cocktails are increasingly being served in upscale bars—up to one in four cocktails is a «Virgin.».

No Carbonation in the Shaker

We’re acknowledging this trend by using Lurisia Aranciata from The Coca-Cola Company’s portfolio as a topping for our fourth recipe. Drinks with carbonation are not suitable for preparation in a shaker, but they are perfect for rounding off cocktails. As a base, we use a non-alcoholic alternative from Martini. Vibrante is an excellent and accessible product for creating alcohol-free drinks with a twist. The simplest way to enjoy it is with a Kinley Tonic Water.

Basic Idea: Bee's Knees

For our mocktail of the month, we’re borrowing the idea from the Bee's Knees recipe, although we’re only taking the honey concept and substituting blood orange as the citrus fruit.

We produced this cordial earlier this year and froze it. The cordial is the complete addition that can be mixed with spirits or non-alcoholic alternatives—in our case, the juice of blood oranges, lemon, and honey is briefly boiled, strained after cooling, and then vacuum-sealed. This is a simple and excellent way to preserve fruits at their perfect ripeness.

To present the cocktail perfectly, we use the Small Size Tumbler from the 100 Points Collection by Lalique and renowned wine critic James Suckling. The crystal glass is not only an eye-catcher but also brings out the aromas of the cocktail perfectly.

Sensual Elegance

The collaboration between Lalique and James Suckling aims to bring out the best possible aromas in drinks or wine. Inspired by the 100-point scale for wine ratings, this collection combines sensual elegance with contemporary design: carefully hand-blown crystal glass, a tall, frosted, and polished crystal stem. These glasses represent Lalique’s unique style.

But let’s get back to the drink. If you’re now craving blood orange but can’t find any, you can use frozen puree. If you like the idea but still want something fresh from the supermarket, grab a pink grapefruit—it also pairs wonderfully with Lurisia Aranciata.

How to make the Blooded Knees Twist:

First, you will have to prepare a decent cordial.

Ingredients:

… 4 blood oranges (250 grams of blood orange puree)
… 2 lemons
… 200 g honey
… 50 cl water

Squeeze the juice from the blood oranges and lemons, and mix with honey and water in a pot. Bring the mixture to a brief boil, ensuring that the honey completely dissolves. Let the liquid cool, pour it into a bottle, and store it in a cool place. By the way, it also tastes great with soda water.

Ingredients for the Blooded Knees Twist:

… Shaker
… Measuring cup, called a jigger
… A perfect glass (in our case, the Small Size Tumbler from Lalique)
… Half a dried orange wheel for garnish
… Cordial, as described above
… Martini Vibrante
… Lurisia Aranciata
… Ice cubes

Here’s what goes into the shaker:

… Ice cubes
… 5 cl Martini Vibrante
… 5 cl cordial

Shake well and double strain (use a strainer in the shaker and a fine sieve over the glass) into the Small Size Tumbler filled with ice cubes.

… Top up with Lurisia Aranciata as desired
… Garnish the drink with the dried orange wheel

And there you have it—the Blooded Knees Twist!

I wish you lots of fun recreating this and, above all, a beautiful Indian summer in Switzerland.

#cheers

About Peter Jauch…

… a Spirit sommelier with a penchant for high-class cocktails, often paired with the best food.
… Author of coffee table books on gin and champagne.
… an experienced host of spirits and champagne tastings.
… Organizer of an experiential festival with friends.