The Art of Sip and Savour: Zero-proof: Mocktail and Non-alcoholic Cocktail Recipes With Smart Food Pairings for Every Occasion: Easy, Elegant, and Zero-proof

Unlock the secrets of cocktail & food harmony, without the alcohol.The Art of Sip and Savour: Zero-Proof is your elegant, practical guide to building zero-proof drinks that actually taste grown-up, and pairing them smartly with real food. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, dipping a toe into “sober-curious,” or want something brilliant with Tuesday’s roast chicken, this book shows you how to balance flavour like a pro and match it to the plate with confidence.What makes this book differentFood-first pairings: Every recipe includes a suggested dish, why it works, and quick cook-through directions, so drinks and dinner sing together.Zero-proof, not zero-flavour: We build structure with acid, sweetness, bitterness, aroma and body using verjus, teas, herbs, spice, shrubs, texture and temperature.Metric-first, US-friendly: ml and grams lead the way, with ounces and cups in parentheses. Simple home-bar rounding: 1 oz ≈ 30 ml; ½ oz ≈ 15 ml.Beginner-friendly techniques: Clear steps for shaking, stirring, building, batching and gentle carbonation, no lab kit required.Taste like a pro: Tiny tweaks, like 2–3 drops of 20% saline, bring flavours into focus and make fruit pop, bitterness behave, and sweetness stay civilised.Inside you’ll find20 zero-proof cocktail recipes (spritzes, sours, highballs and spirit-style sippers) written for consistency and repeatable results.Smart pairings for seafood nights, taco Tuesdays, comfort cooking, garden lunches and dessert, each with fast, flavour-led directions.Foundations of flavour balance (acid/sweet/bitter/aroma/body), seasonality swaps, and pantry essentials (saline, syrups, teas, verjus, shrubs).Make-ahead tips for syrups and batched serves, plus decaf options for espresso, lapsang and matcha moments.Troubleshooting for flat, sharp, too-sweet or too-bitter drinks, fixes that take seconds, not a second mortgage.Who it’s forHome bartenders and food lovers who want spirit-free drinks with real complexity.Hosts who need booze-free drink ideas that pair beautifully with dinner.Beginners who want a calm, step-by-step path to balance, and a little encouragement along the way.Highlights (a taste)Citrus Garden Spritz + Lemon-rosemary chicken (citrus cuts richness; rosemary echoes; bubbles refresh).Smoked Pineapple Cooler + sticky pork tacos (lapsang smoke reins in sweetness; lime brightens; soda resets).Basil Verjus Gimlet + lemon-ricotta linguine (herbal lift meets gentle, grape-fresh acidity).Lapsang Old-Fashioned + miso-glazed aubergine (tea-smoke + umami; orange oils to lift).Why you’ll love itClarity over complication, flavour over fuss. You’ll learn a handful of templates (Sour, Collins, Spritz), understand why each pairing works, and get the confidence to riff with what’s already in your kitchen. Fresh citrus, good ice and a jigger will take you a very long way.Specs & styleUK/metric first with US equivalents in parentheses.Kitchen-table friendly methods; no specialist equipment required.Elegant voice with a wink, because yes, apparently eating well and “drinking research” do count.If you’re searching for: spirit-free drinks, booze-free drink ideas, dry January drinks, sober curious drinks, home bartending for beginners, drink and food matching, you’re in the right place. This is zero-proof done properly: easy, elegant, and designed to make dinner better.Pour something bright, plate something delicious, and let flavour lead.