Toyota Mocktails

Toyota has decided to celebrate designated drivers across Canada this holiday season by creating unique mocktails inspired by Toyota vehicles - 0% alcohol, 100% fun!

Rosemary Simple Syrup

• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

Rosemary & Grapefruit Sparkler

• ½ cup ruby red grapefruit juice
• ½ cup seltzer (carbonated water)
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (for garnish)
• 3-4 ice cubes

Make rosemary simple syrup by bringing water to a boil. Add sugar and continuously stir until dissolved. Add fresh rosemary sprigs and simmer on low heat for 30-45 seconds. Turn off heat and let rosemary submerge in syrup water for up to an hour. Cool and set in the fridge.

In a clear glass, combine ice cubes, grapefruit juice, seltzer, and rosemary simple syrup (adjust amount to your liking). Stir, and place one sprig of fresh rosemary as garnish.

Credit: @eatingwithkirby

• 1 tablespoon ginger spiced simple syrup (recipe to follow)
• 1/3 cup pear nectar
• 2 Tbsp ginger ale
• Garnish: Cinnamon sticks, star anise pods, candied ginger (optional)

Ginger Spiced Simple Syrup Recipe:

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups sliced fresh ginger root, peeled
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole nutmeg seeds
• 2 whole star anise pods
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp whole cardamom seeds

*In a pinch, replace all the spices with two Chai tea bags and the fresh ginger.

Place sugar, water, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, cloves, and cardamon in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the syrup uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken and infuse the flavours. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup into a jar or container.

To make the mocktail: Fill a shaker with ice. Add a tablespoon of the ginger spiced simple syrup and 1/3 cup of pear nectar to the shaker. Put the lid securely on the shaker and shake vigorously until the drink is cold. Fill a glass with ice, pour over the shaken mocktail and top with Ginger ale. Stir and garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or a star anise pod, if desired. Enjoy immediately.

Extra simple syrup can be stored sealed in the fridge.

Credit: @julesaujus

• 3oz Mint Kombucha
• 1oz Cedar Simple Syrup **
• 1 Lime zest and juice
• 3oz Tonic Soda
• Cube brown sugar (ideally demerara)

For the syrup, pour the lemon juice into a saucepan, add the cedar jelly, and melt it.

Frost a small glass: lightly wet the rim of the glass with a lime wedge, and then dip in a plate containing a base of brown sugar. The sugar will stick to the edge of the glass with the humidity.

Then pour the kombucha, tonic soda and lemon-cedar syrup into the frosted glass.

Add ice cubes to almost reach the edge of the glass. Finish with the lime zest. You can garnish with a cedar branch if you have one.

** If you cannot find cedar jelly at the delicatessen, pour 100ml of water and 100ml of sugar, and add small, crushed cedar branches. Bring to a boil, set aside in the fridge, letting the cedar infuse overnight. Pass through a fine strainer. The syrup will keep for several weeks in the fridge.

Credit: @martin_juneau