Zero Proof Mocktails

Zero Proof Mocktails is a new, up and coming, Utah County area drink service. They make traditional and unique cocktails without the alcohol.

It is owned and operated by Kent and Marina Pimentel who do a fabulous job keeping people entertained and getting those drinks out.

I haven't tried a drink that wasn't good from them yet but some of my favorites are:

Lemon Drop: A sour lemon drink served in a martini glass rimmed with sugar.

Irish lavender: Lender and irish cream in a creamy soda served in a champagne flute.

Minerva McGonagall: Blackberry and lime with thyme syrup in a martini glass.

Dark and Stormy: Spicy ginger beer with rum syrup and a hint of lime

Double Rainbow: This shot is served with the three colors distinct from each other in the shot glass. It includes cranberry juice, blue curacao (orange flavor), and NOS energy drink topped with a rainbow sour candy.


Their website has more info on all their drink types and they are more than willing to work with you to create a signature drink for your event.

ZPM is available for weddings, parties, dances and you can find them most weekends at Dave and Cranky's in Provo. They serve everything from champagne to shots.

Lemon Ginger Apple Tonic

• 64 oz apple juice
• 1 average size chunk of ginger (more ginger=spicier flavor)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 6 oz lemon or pineapple sorbet

Finely grate the ginger and let it sit in the lemon juice over night. Then strain out the ginger and pour the juice into the apple juice. Just before serving add a small scoop of the sorbet in the cup and pout the lemon ginger apple juice over top. 

Roasted red pepper bisque

• 4 roasted red peppers (see previous week for how to make)
• 3 cups chicken stock (or veggie stock)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 5 oz grated cheese
• 1/3 cup cream

Combine your peppers and broth in a pot on low and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Make sure not to over reduce. It will lose some volume but not much.

Blend this mixture in a blender or food processor. 

Add in the seasonings and simmer for another 10 minutes on low. Add in the cream and cheese. Cook till the cheese is melted and the soup is hot. 

Serve with croutons, salad shrimp, or orzo pasta.

Roasted Red pepper hummus

• 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans are the same thing)
• 2 roasted red peppers (see this recipe to make your own)
• 1-2 TBS. sesame oil or about 1/4 cup tahini
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tsp, chopped garlic

Drain off but same the liquid from the beans. Put all the other ingredients into a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth. If it is too thick, slowly add in some of the liquid from the beans until it reached the desired consistency.

You can also make this without the roasted red peppers and do it with roasted garlic, plain, sun-dried tomatoes, or many other options.

Roasted Red Peppers

Roasted red peppers make a great ingredient in a lot of dishes. You can make soup, sauces, serve it as a side, blend it into hummus, top pizza or salad, or many other options. This coming week I will post two recipes using roasted red peppers.

To make,

Preheat the oven to 400
 Grease a baking sheet and place your peppers on it.
Put in the oven and bake until the skins blacken. Make sure to turn them onto a different side every 10 minutes or so.

As soon as they are mostly black, take them out of the oven and put the peppers in a paper bag and fold down the top. Let sit until the peppers cool enough to handle.

Then you can take them out and peel off the skin and pull out all the seeds.

Chocolate and orange biscotti

1/4 cup  butter, room temperature
1 cup  sugar
2 eggs
Juice and zest of one orange
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. 

Beat together butter and sugar for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the eggs, mixing well in between. Then add in the orange juice and zest, and the extracts.  While mixing, add in the  salt, baking powder and flour, Then by hand stir in the chocolate chips. 

Divide dough in half, and shape each half into long logs. Place them on the baking sheet a few inches apart. 

If you want the biscotti for dipping in coffee or cocoa (crisp enough to hold up when dunking in a drink), cook for 45-50, if you want them crispy but soft enough to eat on their own, cook for 35-40 minutes. Then remove and let cool until you can touch them. 

Use a serrated knife to cut the logs into slices like bread. The softer cookies may still be a little doughy on the inside. Then place them back on the pan and bake for 10 minutes, then flip them over and cook for another 10 minutes. 

Let them cool until you can touch them while making the topping.

Ganache topping
1 cup chocolate chips-chopped fine
2 Tbsp. sugar (optional)
1/4 cup cream

Heat the cream and sugar together until just before boiling, then pour over the chocolate chips and mix until smooth. 

Dip the tops of the biscotti in the ganache and place chocolate side up on a cookie rack to dry. 

Dave and Cranky's

In Provo there is a fabulous restaurant called Dave and Cranky's. The prices are about mid-range but the food is amazing. Dave and Cranky's is located just south of BYU campus on the second floor above Thai Ruby at 746 E 820 N. They have a seasonal menu so make sure to check their website to see if any of the following dishes are available.

Best of all, on most fridays and saturdays they are joined by Zero Proof Mocktails to bring you amazing non-alcoholic drinks.

Appetizers:

• Nachos $9
• These are not your typical Nachos. They have pineapple and corn on them and they are a great combination of sweet and savory. You can add on chicken or make them hangover style with sriracha. 
• Goat Cheese Fritters $7
• Okay, these blew my mind. It comes with breaded creamy goat cheese that just oozes out when you cut into the fried balls. On top there is a sweet fruit compote with a little cinnamon. This dish borders on dessert but the tang from the goat cheese keeps it on the savory side of things.
• Balsamic Stuffed Mushrooms $5
• You get a small plate of button mushrooms stuffed with a great filling and drizzled liberally with balsamic vinegar. They really know how to balance sweet, savory, and sour in their meals.

Fall menu Main Dishes:

The first three of these others at my table tried and loved. I ordered the last dish.

• Steak with parmesan rosemary fries and garlic green beans
• Spiced glazed pork with pumpkin rice and thyme baked apples and onions
• The pilgrim sandwich: seasonal fowl, stuffing cranberry chutney, and yam fries
• Pan roasted chicken with savory waffles, onion jam, and market vegetables: this is not your traditional southern chicken and waffles. The waffles are not sweet and the chicken is not fried. However, the waffles make a great backdrop for eating the chicken with the onion jam and some veggie. It is definitely a savory dish but the chicken is well cooked and moist and the onion jam hives a hint of sweet.  

Desserts:

• Lava Cake
• This was a great, rich chocolate cake with the traditional oozy center topped with a nice vanilla ice cream. 
• Pizookie
• hot chocolate chip cookie with delicious vanilla ice cream on top. Enough said. 

Lavender Lemon Mousse

• 8 eggs (4 eggs and 4 yolks, save other 4 whites)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• juice and zest of 4 lemons
• 1 Tbs. lavender blossoms
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together 4 eggs, 4 yolks, and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Add salt and juice and zest; stir until smooth. Add in lavender blossoms.Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens to the consistency of loose pudding, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl, and chill.

Whisk/mix egg whites and remaining sugar in a bowl until stiff peaks form; add to curd but don't stir yet. Whip cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form; add to curd mixture. Fold until combined. chill before serving.

The lavender is optional but delicious.

-during final mixing