TRENDS

5 French-inspired mocktails for summer days

The first warm days of the season call for refreshing, flavorful drinks that are not necessarily alcoholic. Here are 5 non-alcoholic drinks inspired by France.

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Herbes de Provence Label Rouge
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Piment d'Espelette PDO
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Tahitian Vanilla
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Delicious drink with Herbes de Provence

Buy “Label Rouge” Herbes de Provence and steep them in cold water. Add a bit of sweetness with a Verveine du Vélay syrup and, in advance, to make your drink even prettier, freeze ice cubes using edible leaves and petals of your choice. You can also replace Provence thyme, rosemary, savory and oregano with Corsican immortelle, and then sweeten everything with a bit of myrtle to continue the theme!

Iced tea with Ardeche chestnut syrup

Brew cold green tea, such as Japanese sencha, for at least 30 minutes, preferably using filtered water. Serve cold, with a splash of Ardeche chestnut syrup. With an Assam black tea, use a teaspoon of forest honey and a pinch of Espelette pepper. Tell us what you think!

Fermentation the French way

Have you heard of water kefir and kombucha? These lightly sparkling beverages can be made at home in just a few days using a strain. Kefir can be made with grains mixed with water, sugar, dried fruit and citrus, whereas for the second, steep a mushroom in sweetened tea. But you can also buy either pre-made and then muddle aromatics, seasonings and other French ingredients for a few hours: Tahitian vanilla pods, melon skins from Charentes, Domfront pear juice for one-third of the total volume... Drink very cold in large glasses.

Buckwheat soba from Brittany

In organic stores, you can find buckwheat tea from Brittany. It is a tea made from grains that is very popular in Japan. It is also made in Brittany using... buckwheat. Brew hot. Let it cool entirely. Serve with ice and almond syrup from Marseilles. Delicious!

Brown sugar lemonade

Make a syrup by heating equal parts water and brown sugar from northern France. Add two Menton lemons and bring to a boil. Add approximately two times the amount of lemon juice. Mix. Leave to cool. Muddle mint and a few slices of cucumber. Serve with sparkling water. The dark sugar gives this homemade lemonade a delicious, ever-changing taste of caramel.