Whenever the time comes for an annual or period celebration such as New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving or any other for the matter, it would probably be fair to say that the kids are just as keen to join in with the festivities as the adults.
Needless to say, there are certain privileges that come with adulthood and are unavailable to children for a very good reason, but such does not mean that they have to be in any way left out when it comes to a good, old-fashioned toast.
Of course, it is not suggested for a moment that you consider investing in a bottle of Bollinger for the little ones, but there are a myriad of alternatives available to help keep them in the spirits of things. Furthermore, there really is no reason that a little child-friendly alcohol-free ‘Champagne’ cannot be concocted at home by following one of these very simple recipes:
Carbonated Grape Juice
Ok I will admit, this particular suggestion is not exactly a recipe per se, but does offer quite possibly the most authentic and realistic Champagne substitute of them all. Of course, if you really want to add the home-made touch into the equation, you could always juice the grapes yourself and add the CO2 using a soda station or other such device.
Soda with Grape Juice
One of the simplest ways of brewing up a fake mock-champagne for kids is to use a simple, clear soda and add a small dash of white grape juice. Not only is the resulting drink delicious, but also closely matches the real thing by way of color and fizz.
Pineapple, Ginger and Grape
Although the above combination may appear a little abstract and not strictly true to genuine Champagne, it nonetheless produces a quite wonderful beverage that never fails to go down a treat in the case of both adults and children alike.
Simply by combining equal amounts of ginger ale and grape juice with a half measure of pineapple juice, this delightfully summery treat is always a hit.
DIY Mock Champagne
If you prefer the idea of really going at it from scratch, there is a popular and fairly simple mock-Champagne recipe that comprises 2/3 cup of sugar, 2/3 cup of water, 1 cup grapefruit juice, 1 cup orange juice, ¼ cup grenadine and 1 bottle of ginger ale.
True, the resulting mixture doesn’t not exactly look like Champagne, but it certain is delicious nonetheless!
In all honesty, there really isn’t a carbonated soft drink that cannot be used as an alternative to Champagne, therefore choosing the kids’ favorite is always a wise idea.
Of course, if you really want them to feel like an important part of the action, why not consider investing in a few bottles, corks and cages so as to rebottle their favorite drinks and allow them to join in the popping of corks and ceremonial pouring along with the adults?
Read more in the book “Fizz: 80 Joyful Cocktails and Mocktails for Every Occasion“
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