Now that our champagne glasses are empty, our aprons are abandoned and our balloons are deflated, it’s time to officially accept that the festive period is over. With the arrival of 2017, comes dry January. The annual month long sober event encourages even the most reckless of party people to ditch their drinking habits and opt for a detox. As you know, most members of #TeamCoco will probably have abandoned ship by mid January and will be knee deep in Prosecco, but we promise we will try our hardest.

Because we need all the help we can get and to ensure the testing time runs smoothly, we have teamed up with Vincenzo Sibilia (Head Bartender at Barts, Chelsea) who has ensured you’ll be confidently abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the year with five top tips for creating delicious booze-free beverages.

1. Create a Cordial
Making your own cordial can be a great way to add a sophisticated flavour to your drink, and shows you’ve put real effort in. Boil your chosen fruit with sugar and leave it to infuse. You can tailor your cordial to your individual taste preference and keep it stored in the fridge for future use. Foraged elderflower works particularly well.

2. Mull it Over
If you’re keen to squeeze every last drop out of the festive celebrations, why not opt for a homemade mulled drink? Apple juice works particularly well. Simply simmer the apple juice for ten minutes with strips of orange peel and a cinnamon stick, then finish by adding a touch of agave syrup.

3. Let the Lime in
Lemonade may be strictly reserved for Summer, but Limeonade has no such boundaries. For a tangy cocktail, blend limes into a pulp and add soda water. Thinly slice the left over limes and add as a garnish if you’re keen to impress.

4. Mad about Mimosas
Virgin mimosas can be made simply by replacing the champagne with grape juice. The overall taste is sweeter, so it’s a great drink for the whole family to enjoy. Ensure the grape juice is sparkling as this adds the right amount of fizz to your homemade treat.

5. Tea Total
As herbal and skinny teas climb higher on our shopping list, why not try making your own sparkling raspberry tea? Simply combine unsweetened tea with cranberry juice and sparkling water to create a delicious, figure-friendly beverage. Add fresh raspberries for a garnish.

Barts opened six years ago and was London’s first ‘speakeasy’ style bar located on the prestigious Sloane Avenue. It is the brainchild of Duncan Stirling and Charlie Gilkes, the dynamic duo that own the Inception Group that also comprises of the highly successful 80’s themed nightclub, Maggie’s and an Englishman’s Italian, Bar, Pizzeria and Karaoke, Bunga Bunga in Battersea, and Mr Fogg’s, a Mayfair bar modelled on the home of Jules Verne’s most famous adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Last year they also opened Cocobananas, a Brazilian beach party themed nightclub, and Beaver Lodge, a cabin bar and dance saloon based on the winter cowboy log cabins found in Wyoming. This Spring they will soon launch 1940s themed post Blitz bar, Cahoots, in Soho.

Barts | Chelsea Cloisters | 87 Sloane Ave | London | SW3 3DW
T: 020 7581 3355
E: info@barts-london.com
W: www.barts-london.com

FB: Barts
IG: @BartsLondon
Opening Hours: Sunday – Tuesday: 6pm-12am
Wednesday – Saturday: 6pm-1am

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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