Mood Drinks: Alcohol-Free Cocktails to Create the Perfect Mood

Cocktail lounge meets juice bar in photographer Cabrera’s chic debut. The 60 elegant mocktails come in four categories—“Chill,” “Uplift,” “Celebrate,” and “Explore”—each meant to evoke a different mood. Nonalcoholic takes on classic cocktails include a sherbet paloma and a cosmo riff garnished with edible dandelion. Fusions of flavor abound, drawing partly from the author’s childhood in Teotihuacán, Mexico, as in halva horchata and jicama yuzu juice. A cantaloupe, jasmine tea, umeboshi, and ginger shooter might inspire a health elixir happy hour, while the green tea, celery salt, and lemon sorbet smoothie served with a side of pop rocks makes for a sophisticated sugar rush. Gorgeous photography helps the colorful drinks—including a frothy purple blackcurrant smoothie and an herbaceous green martini—pop off the page. Each section also begins with tips for creating appropriate ambience, with suggestions for specific lighting, seating, music, and scents to accompany the drinks. These tips likely represent a bit more work than most home bartenders are willing to put in, but they add to the collection’s stylish aesthetic. The result is a pretty and playful work that’s sure to inspire those hoping to skip the hangover. (Apr.)