3 Healthy-ish Cocktails to Start the New Year

Check out a few healthy-ish cocktail recipes for those of us who don’t want to go totally “dry” this January.

These better-for-you concoctions are heavy on the antioxidant-rich fruit and veggie juices and teas, but still have the booze. Give them a mix!!

Dirty Verde

Created by Claire Rose Sexton, Kettner Exchange

At Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Kettner Exchange, Bar Director Claire Rose Sexton combines verdant fresh-pressed juices with blanco tequila for a boozy take on your morning “green juice.”

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. blanco tequila
• 3/4 oz. fresh pressed lime juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. fresh cucumber juice
• 1 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde Poblano Liqueur
• Paprika oil (for garnish)

Preparation: Combine ingredients, shake with ice, and serve garnished with paprika oil.

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About Claire Rose Sexton

Beverage Director Claire Sexton curates the expansive cocktail and wine program at Michelin Bib Gourmand Kettner Exchange. The daughter of a Marine Corps pilot, she spent her formative years relocating frequently, including a years-long early childhood stint in Japan. Working as a designer for a Shenzhen, China-based lifestyle brand, allowed her to further explore Asia, plus she has visited Europe, Northern Africa, and Mexico.

This global perspective and curiosity inform her approach to cocktails, which are both playful and sophisticated. In addition to a close working relationship with acclaimed Chef Brian Redzikowski — both share an affinity for the flavors of Asian cuisine — which is reflected in the culinary and seasonally-driven cocktail and wine menus. She favors bright, spirit-forward, yet also feminine cocktails and incorporates unexpected flavors including, tahini, ube, pistachio milk.

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After Miles

Created by Jeremy Simpson, Campfire

At Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Campfire, Beverage Director Jeremy Simpson layers flavors of vanilla and caramel, to emphasize the natural sweetness in the carrot and orange juices. The herbaceous epazote tincture and spicy mole bitters balance and add depth and nuance.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. abasolo mexican corn whiskey
• 1 oz. el destilador reposado
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 1 oz. carrot shrub
• 1 dash of mole bitters
• 5 drops of epazote tincture

Preparation: Combine ingredients and shake. Serve in a sour glass and garnish with borage flowers.

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About Jeremy Simpson

In his most recent outpost, Simpson had curated a portfolio of 80+ mezcals as beverage director of Bar Caló in LA’s Echo Park, featuring on small producers and Mexican-owned palenques focusing on regionality and varietal diversity. Prior to Bar Caló, Simpson worked alongside Chef Ori Menashe at Bestia, where he served as bar manager when the celebrated Italian eatery garnered James Beard Award Nominations for Best Chef and Best Restaurant, as well as a “Tales of the Cocktail” Spirited Award for Best American Restaurant Bar.

The same philosophies he nurtured over his eight years in the LA bar industry inform his approach with continued education and a reverence for small producers at the forefront. Growing up near farms and ranches in the Southeast, Simpson cultivated a deep appreciation for the growers and producers whose hands work the soil. His curiosity about the provenance and wine education grew while working alongside Chef Menashe. He began to study independently through the Court of Master Sommeliers and WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust), eventually earning his Level 1 and Level 2 certifications, respectively.

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The Waverly 3.0

Created by Eric Johnson, Waverly

At Cardiff-by-the-Sea all-day café, Waverly, award-winning Beverage Director Eric Johnson riffs on the blueberry muffin. Malic and lactic acids are added to steeped Vanilla Rooibos tea, to stabilize and balance. Plus, a light syrup made with fresh, sweet-tart blueberries that complements the naturally sweet, creamy flavor of the tea.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 2 1/2 oz. Acidulated Vanilla Rooibos Tea
• 3/4 oz. blueberry syrup

Preparation: Add ingredients into a glass with rocks. Stir to combine.

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About Eric Johnson

Waverly Beverage Director Eric Johnson has been a longtime fixture on the San Diego beverage scene. He trained under notables such as Sam Ross (Milk & Honey NYC and Atta Boy) and Phil Ward (Mayahuel), before landing in America’s Finest City to lend his talents to open some of San Diego’s most notable dine & drink establishments, including Michelin Plate-awarded Juniper & Ivy, Craft and Commerce, El Dorado Cocktail Lounge, Noble Experiment, and Sycamore Den. In 2013, Johnson was voted as Eater San Diego’s ‘Best Bartender‘ and selected as one of America’s 25 Best Bartenders by the Daily Meal in 2014.

At Waverly, he has developed a globally-inspired cocktail program of crushable, beach-inspired “New American” cocktails that often evoke and make thoughtful reference to universal childhood nostalgia.