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Just in time for the holidays, The Old Fashioned mocktail!

I find that using balsamic vinegar in mocktails gives me that “bite” that I enjoy in alcoholic drinks while avoiding the overly sweet taste of sodas.

Balsamic vinegar can be good for you due to its antioxidant properties, which can support heart health by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, and its ability to help regulate blood sugar. It also contains beneficial compounds like acetic acid that support healthy digestion and probiotics that promote fullness. 

The balsamic vinegar of Modena (BVM), a food specialty under the European Protected Geographical Indication system, is made from grape must blended with wine vinegar exclusively in the Italian province of Modena or Reggio Emilia. Read the label to ensure you are buying the authentic product and not a commercial version with added sugars and caramel coloring.

Feel free to experiment using a vinegar of your choice in place of the spirit in drink recipes. Here is one that I particularly enjoy.

Balsamic Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 1 oz balsamic vinegar*
• 1 tbs. simple syrup**
• 2 oz soda water
• 3 dashes of non-alcoholic bitters
• Cocktail or maraschino cherries and orange peel for garnish

Steps

1. Add the simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass, then add the soda water and stir.
2. Fill the mixing glass with ice, add the vinegar and stir until well-chilled.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
4. Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, then drop into the glass with the cherries to garnish.

Bruce

*Taste your vinegar first, balsamic vinegars can vary in sweetness so you may want to adjust the amount of simple syrup.

**Experiment with adding fresh herbs to your simple syrup for more depth of flavor.