Summer Low-Calorie Cocktails

Friday, July 23, 2010

COCKTAILS by Tracey Minkin, GoLocalProv Lifestyle Editor

I've never needed to justify a cocktail (ask my friends). But when the all-pro mixologists at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar revealed their new summer specialty, a 99-calorie cocktail called the Bikinitini... I found a real reason to stop by for a chilled, fruity pour. I was watching my weight.

At 99 barely-a-latte calories, the Bikinitini is half the caloric hit of a Cosmopolitan, and nearly a third of a diet-ravaging White Russian. Even an average pour of red wine has more calories. The secret of course, is in the sweetener, and the cocktail's inventor, Marian Jansen op de Haar, has crossed over to the dark side and used Splenda. But somehow, bubbled up with a nice pour of soda, two fruit juices, and Svedka Clementine Vodka, it works. So well, in fact, that I not only begged for the recipe, but have been avidly crafting my own low-cal cocktails.

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Here's a couple secrets I've picked up:

1. Infused vodkas are your friend. If you were dismissive before (and I admit, I was), consider that these vodkas come already sweeter with a rainbow of flavors, but no additional calories. The need for a sweetener or juice in your cocktail diminishes. So do your calories.

2. Going fruity? Go with fruit. You're better off muddling some fresh fruit and combining with sugar-free syrup, than sticking with the calorie-dense sweet mixers or simple syrup.

3. Diet tonic is your wingman, if paired with a really nice gin. You can have a delicious, summery gin and tonic for about 140 calories, so trade up to a treat like Rangpur, mild and a little fruity.

4. Make a Bikinitini. And here's how you do it:

 Ingredients

1.25 oz. Svedka Clementine Vodka    
.25 oz  lemon juice                            
.75 oz  orange juice                          
1 packet  Splenda                         

1 oz   Soda                          

Method

Shake all ingredients on ice (shake vigorously as usual to dissolve all Splenda) 

Garnish—three mini, white marshmallows on skewer/space between the marshmallows

Note: freeze the marshmallows so they are easier to skewer

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, 1 West Exchange St, Providence, 533-9000

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