Recipe: Pomegranate Tonics

I’m an avowed gin & tonic lover: I love the way the lime zest hits my nose just as I’m about to take a sip. I love the sparkle and bite of the tonic, with its mysterious quinine flavor. And I do love a juniper-forward gin — usually. But during the holidays, when cooking can mean hours at a time in the kitchen, I veer more towards mocktails, which add to the festive atmosphere without leaving me drunk and exhausted before dinner even starts.

Enter: pomegranate molasses, which is just pomegranate juice that’s been cooked down, sometimes with sugar, until it reaches the consistency of a thick syrup, almost like honey. Although it doesn’t taste anything like gin, in a glass with tonic, it can serve the same purpose — it offers some bite and some sweetness, along with the deep, toasty flavor of the molasses. (The more tart the syrup, the less sweet the cocktail — so look for a pomegranate molasses without sugar, if you like things on the savory side.)

Made from ingredients I usually keep in my pantry, this quick mocktail also has a rich rosy color, so it definitely looks less frilly than most mocktails. Serve it in tall Collins glasses, if you have them, and remember as you pour that the mixture foams up a bit; they’re best made just before serving.