A citrus and mint spritzer without alcohol

A non-alcoholic drink can be refreshing without copying a cocktail. This spritzer combines orange juice, lemon and mint with sparkling water. The balance depends on the fruit, so mix the citrus base first and taste before adding sweetness. Serve plain water alongside it for anyone who prefers a drink without juice.

For two tall glasses

Use 100 ml orange juice, two tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 300 ml chilled sparkling water and six to eight washed mint leaves. Have ice, two thin lemon slices and optional one to two teaspoons simple sugar syrup ready. Preparation takes five to ten minutes. Use clean drinking ice and washed fruit, including the peel of any slices that will go into the glass.

Mix the orange and lemon juices in a small jug. Taste a teaspoon. If it is sharply sour, add a little syrup and stir; do not add all the optional sweetness automatically. A sweet orange juice may need none. If you prefer a lighter drink, plan to increase the sparkling water instead of balancing sourness with a large amount of sugar.

Build at the last moment

Gently press the mint leaves between clean fingers or tap them with the back of a spoon to release their scent. Do not grind them into small fragments. Divide the mint and ice between two glasses, then pour in the citrus mixture. Top with sparkling water and give each glass one gentle stir.

Add a lemon slice and serve immediately. A long vigorous stir drives out the bubbles. If using a narrow glass, make sure the garnish does not block drinking or make the glass unstable. A large decorative bundle of mint is unnecessary; a few leaves provide enough aroma and are easier to manage.

Scaling for guests

For a group, prepare the juice mixture in a covered jug and refrigerate it, but add sparkling water to individual glasses as needed. Making a large fizzy jug far in advance leaves the final servings flat. Keep a separate jug of plain chilled water available and identify the spritzer clearly so guests know it contains citrus.

Use a prepared citrus base within 24 hours and keep it refrigerated. Once ice and sparkling water have been added, the drink is best enjoyed immediately; storing it does not preserve its fizz or its original dilution. Discard leftover drinks from used glasses rather than pouring them back into the preparation jug.

For a different balance, replace part of the orange juice with more sparkling water and keep the lemon quantity modest. Avoid assuming a sugar-free cordial or flavoured water will behave the same as plain sparkling water: it may bring strong sweetness or additional ingredients. Read its label and taste the base before committing a whole pitcher.