As someone who hosts a lot of dinner parties (and works for a non-alcoholic drinks brand), I’ve become particularly au fait with how to host without alcohol – so the welcome drink is a non-alcoholic aperitif instead of the usual gin and tonic. And whilst wine might feature on a weekend, I find that most of my guests are either asking for or really excited to try an elegant non-alcoholic drink. Gone are the days of serving water or elderflower cordial to guests who aren’t drinking wine. As a seasoned host, here are some of my alcohol-free hosting tips for an evening of mindful entertaining.
Non-alcoholic dinner party ideas:
1. Do you want a fun glass?
This is something my friend and I joke about because I say it almost immediately when anyone enters my kitchen. Sure, I have the elegant, thin-walled glass tumblers, the classic IKEA shorties and the wine glasses my parents bought for me when I first moved in, but my deepest passion has always been buying one-off glasses that make drinking anything out of them more fun. A lot of them are vintage – I am often found typing ‘vintage luminarc french glasses’ into the search bar – or found objects from various countries. I truly believe any end-of-the-day ritual needs to be celebrated, so the fun glass just allows guests not drinking alcohol feel like they’re part of the ceremony. Here are some of my favourites:
2. Have a multitude options
A friend said the other day, “If I’m going to have a non-alcoholic drink, it’s going to be at your house.” I was truly proud. I am the purveyor of several bottles, so I always have options depending on the time of year, the dish I’m making or the guest I’m serving. Considering our Triple Set is available – featuring our Limited Edition flavours – I’d get my hands on that. It’s lovely to have both Marmalade and Rhubarb to hand (and means I can make use of different glasses – like my vintage champagne flutes for Rhubarb & Soda). I’ll always offer our original Ginger aperitif with either a splash of soda or tonic – or if I’m feeling fancy I’ll whip up a round of Clementine Coasts, our juicy take on the picante. Here’s the recipe:
3. The right mixers
In my fridge, there’s a plethora of tonics and sodas depending on what mood I (or my guests) are in. The classic Folkington’s club soda and Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic will always remain – but my other go-tos are Fever Tree’s Mexican lime soda and London Essence’s blood orange and elderflower tonic – both are subtle, not too sweet and go great with Mother Root Ginger.
Waitrose.com Fever-Tree Mexican Lime Soda
Waitrose.com London Essence Co. Blood Orange & Elderflower Tonic Water Cans
4. When there’s more than a few – go for a pitcher
I can often spend most of my night fixing drinks for people, so if the evening is alcohol-free, I’ll usually make a pitcher of Mother Root & Sodas (or tonics, depending on who wants that bittersweet twist). For this, the ceremony of the special glass remains – so I will serve up in one of my favourite jugs. Here are a couple that are on my wish list:
5. Finish on a night cap
The post-dinner digestif can be just as delicious without the alcohol – I’ve been known to serve mugs of hot Mother Root to friends after a particularly big and carb-laden meal (it’s got digestive properties thanks to the apple cider vinegar); or have even had friends ask for a shot over ice. Whatever takes your fancy (or however strong you like it).
Curious about our non-alcoholic aperitif that tastes like sunshine in a bottle? Try it here.
