Life in the city is tough. So what’s the best way to relax amid all the chaos? The answer is staring you down on your screen as we speak––an ice-cold pomegranate margarita mocktail.
I’ll show you how to make your very own chill time juice for the 2020s––all the style, minus the alcohol. Oh, and style this pomegranate margarita mocktail has. It comes from one of the most prestigious urban hotel-spas in all of South Africa that adds a special ingredient you won’t find anywhere else. But pay attention to the tips I give to make sure you make it picture-perfect just like them.
Mount Nelson: This Urban Relaxant’s Maker
Mount Nelson is located just a hop away from the base of table mountain in one of the most popular areas of urban Cape Town. It has a long history of various owners culminating in a rich history of wealthy international clientele stopping by for a relaxing vacation. And as Cape Town grew, so did the demand for a place like Mount Nelson.
With such a prestigious history, Mount Nelson’s drinks had to be good. Their bartender is about as trained as the tea sommeliers from my article on high tea in Cape Town, South Africa. Here’s a link if you’re interested. Needless to say, they knew what they were talking about.
The man who made the specific pomegranate margarita mocktail you see above also formulated it. It’s a whole new take on cocktail-to-mocktail translation. Instead of replicating every flavor exactly, he wanted to take advantage of the lack of alcoholic bitterness to make what he thought was the perfectly balanced drink––not too bitter, sweet, floral or herbal.
He infuses a tea blend into the pomegranate juice. The exact recipe is a trade secret, so it isn’t on the recipe. But if you have the time to experiment, I think just the concept is clever. Seldom do you hear of using a tea blend in a mocktail like the pomegranate margarita. If you want to go to Mount Nelson to learn more or just for a good time, here’s a link.
Colorful Garnishes Maketh the Margarita… or Margarita Mocktail in This Case
If you look at the ingredients below, you may be confused by the use of a lime peel for garnish. Even though we use lemons instead of limes in the pomegranate margarita, the green from the lime peel adds a nice contrast to the color. Just using yellow from a lemon peel, which might make more sense, just would pop enough.
Think of it this way––If everything were red, the pomegranate margarita mocktail would look too plain. It doesn’t matter how vibrant or pleasant the red is. If it’s all red, it’ll look more like a blob in a glass than a cocktail. You need contrast, and garnishing with a lime peel adds that.
My tip is to follow this line of reasoning regardless of the type of garnish you use. There are so many different variations that you could use on this mocktail. I could already think of a few––lavender and black cherry or dried blood orange and chamomile flowers. Play around and see what works!
Experiment Before Making the Virgin Pomegranate Margarita With Company
This is a tip I often give in my articles––always do a few practice runs with your mocktails before making it around company. Especially with the pomegranate margarita mocktail, which has a slushie consistency, you’ll want to make sure your ice to liquid ratio is perfect. Even if it’s just a little off, your drink will separate, big time.
The image above shows an acceptable level of separation. You can just mix this back together. But if it’s a complete half and half liquid flavoring and plain ice, you have a problem. And obviously, that can look bad with company.
Along with consistency, making sure you actually like what you’re making is another reason to practice. What if the virgin pomegranate margarita just isn’t for you?
Better yet, maybe you can think of a few ingredients that you think would taste good here. You could probably do that now with the garnish/blending tips and secret special infusion Mount Nelson’s bar manager told me. I’m always for getting one-upped on these recipes. And if you think you did, make sure to leave a comment.
Ingredients
Directions
Add the lemon juice, pomegranate juice and orange juice into a blender Add enough ice for a slushie texture, which can range from 8 to 12 cubes depending on the size of your ice tray. If you don't know what's right, your best option is to experiment. Blend, then pour into a margarita glass half rimmed with salt Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon or lime peel
Ingredients
Directions
Add the lemon juice, pomegranate juice and orange juice into a blender
Add enough ice for a slushie texture, which can range from 8 to 12 cubes depending on the size of your ice tray. If you don't know what's right, your best option is to experiment.
Blend, then pour into a margarita glass half rimmed with salt
Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon or lime peel
Read This as a Web Story
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Mocktail expert, Cocktail.com
