Have A Drink On Me

Eating an all raw diet, at least for me, is a great mood booster. When the bulk of what you eat is fresh fruits & veggies, it's hard to feel guilty about over-eating. Being well-hydrated and aware of your hunger is like operating with a post-spa-week clear head. I think it's even been helping with my (self-diagnosed) PMDD.

But there are times...times when it seems like every thirsty co-ed has waited until the shift change to buy their booze...when you hoss 30 cases of Natty into the back of some frat house party wagon and the driver doesn't bother to help or tip...when despite the planning and preparation, your lesson plan falls flat and you end up teaching to twenty sets of blank, staring eyes...when Roomie totals the front of Frankenstein (the van) for the third-ish time this year...

These are the times when, good mood or no, an alcoholic beverage is most emphatically in order. When life deals you a crummy hand, bluff like hell and signal the waitress for another drink.

Now, technically, most alcohol is not raw; hops have to be boiled for beer, potatoes/grains for vodka, sugarcane for rum, corn/rye for whiskey. Wine for the most part is raw, though it may not always be vegan (isinglass and all that). However, as an egotistical raw vegan, I make my own rules. And alcohol is in.


There are ways, though, to make alcohol less detrimental to your health. Lighter colored liqueurs are easier for your body to process; the more times something has been distilled, the less impurities, the less likely a hangover. Natural sugars rather than fake-chemically sodas. Things like fresh herbs can also up the "raw-factor."


Here are a few of my recent "rawktail" (patent pending) experiments.


Raw-jito (adapted from Raw Food, Real World)


In a shaker or large glass, muddle the following:
1 handfull mint leaves
1/2 cup lime juice
2 tbs agave syrup


Add to the shaker:
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/2 - 3/4 cup sake


Shake well and strain into two large martini glasses. Top each with champagne or sparkling wine (however sweet you like it, I used Veuve Orange label) and serve. Note that the sweeter the champagne, the less agave you will probably need. Use lemon instead of lime, gin and soda water instead of sake and champagne and you've got a classic Southside Cocktail.


The warmer it is outside the more of these you will drink. I invested in a martini pitcher last summer and this recipe doubled/tripled fills it quite nicely. And the lack of sugar-dense dark rum makes it possible to drink the whole pitcher and still be at the pool at 7 the next morning.


Sweet Basil Lemonade (patent pending)


In a large glass or shaker muddle the following:
1 handful of basil leaves
1/4 - 1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tbs agave syrup


Add to the shaker and shake very well:
up to 4 shots of good vodka. I like Chopin, but Grey Goose is alright.
1/2 cup ice cubes


Divide the drink between champagne or wine glasses (depending on how large a drink you want to drink) and top with a sweet champagne or sparkling wine (I like Mondoro Asti).


Like the Raw-jito, this is a green and fruity drink that's wonderful to sip on a hot, summer porch. This is also a quick and (relatively) painless way to drink 5 shots of vodka. I was a bit fuzzy for the first mile of my morning-after run, but nothing lingering.


Cuke-Gin Tonic


In a shaker, muddle:
1/4 - 1/2 cup of cucumber, diced and seeded. Leave some of the skin on to give the drink a nice green look to it.
1/2 tbs agave syrup
at least 4 shots of Blue Gin, Tanqueray Ten, Hendrick's, or some other top-shelf gin.


Strain into two highball glasses filled halfway with ice. Top with very cold tonic water.


Santa's Little Helper


Juice two pink grapefruits. If you have a high-powered juicer, do not take the rind off the fruit. Just cut it into quarters and juice it through. The skin adds extra antioxidants and a nice bitter layer to the sweetness of the drink.


In a shaker muddle:
1 small handful of mint leaves
1/4 cup lime juice
scant 1/2 tbs agave syrup


Add to the shaker and then shake well:
1/2 cup ice
4 shots of gin


Divide the mix between two large, ice-filled tumblers. Top with equal parts of the grapefruit juice and club soda. The fresh juice really makes this drink. Don't use store-bought if you can help it. If time constraints force you to, leave out the agave. The drink is way too sweet otherwise.



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So there you go kids; a few raw libations to slake your thirst in the coming summer months. Remember: the fresher ingredients the less likely you'll leave your bed on your hands and knees the next morning. Should that happen, however, there's nothing like a little toupe of the (veggie) dog to set you right. Omit the alcohol in any of these recipes in favor of sparkling water, kombucha, rejuvelac, coconut water (or any combination thereof) for a refreshing, hydrating, hangover blocker.


Cheers!