Mixers for vodka with specific needs

[suzigirl]

I love vodka but I'm having a dilemma. I used to mix it with a strawberry/kiwi diet sparkling mountian water beverage. In February I had three heart attacks and was diagnosed with prizmetal angina. The Dr said I am no longer allowed artificial sweeteners and caffine. I also need to restrict the sodium. I don't want something overly sweet. I tried club soda and lime and was lukewarm about it. Can't do acidic things like oj . So you can see my issues . Any thoughts for a simple refreshing cocktail? Thanks

[guilty]

First: I'm glad you're OK, and willing to take the doctor's orders. You will be happier without the artificial sweeteners and caffeine, really.

I also like small amounts of stevia added to club soda or seltzer (though I hate the SweetLeaf flavors--sorry, sedimental). I prefer NuNaturals, if you can find it. There's also a stevia-sweetened soda called Zevia that's available in several flavors, though I haven't tried it. I think Virgil's also has a few stevia-sweetened sodas. I wasn't a fan of the root beer, but if you're used to artificial sweeteners you might like it. Or if sugar is OK, then Virgil's makes fantastic cane-sugar-sweetened sodas.

How about a tonic water? I like Q tonic, and Fever Tree has legions of fans. Tonic should be more interesting for you than the club soda, and they're both natural and lower in sugar than Canada Dry or whatever.

[tinnywatty]

Do check the sugar content of your tonic water before drinking, though - some have almost as much sugar as a standard soda.

[suzigirl]

Zevia. Perfect! I read a little about it. It is a natural vascodialator. Good for my blood pressure. And they also said its good for glucose levels. I'm going to try it. Thanks.

[guilty]

Good luck!

[suzigirl]

Side thought. Thank you for the kind words. I bought a box of Truvia.

[thimes]

3 thoughts come to mind . . . .

1) Pomegranate Juice and Pellegrino. I like it with a lime. I just don't know the sodium content of Pellegrino but you could try Perrier also (or even club soda depending on which has the right sodium content for you).

2) Pellegrino also makes 2 "sodas" that I LOVE. One is orange (Aranciata) and one lemon (Limonata). They both make great refreshing cocktails, or just plain. Not as acidic as straight OJ but maybe they will be too acidic anyway for you.

3) There are a few other fruit juices out there that I know our local Whole Foods carries - one is a mango drink (again I don't know the sodium) but that wouldn't be as acidic I wouldn't think.

[EvergreenDan]

Ooh. I like 2). In addition, San Pellegrino makes Chinotto, a bitter orange soda and San Bitter, a very bitter Campari-and-soda-like soft drink. Both could be combined with vodka (or even better, gin) and perhaps some lemon or lime for a nice highball. If they are too strongly flavored, dilute with soda water to your liking. If the acid in the lemon or lime is troubling, consider using less flavored soda and more soda water to reduce the sweetness through dilution. I assume the acid issue is unrelated to the angina.

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[thimes]

They are also supposed to have an Aranciata Amara but I've never seen it in the US (or anywhere actually, I've just heard about it). Sounds like that would make a nice cocktail too.

http://www.sanpellegrinobeverages.com...

[suzigirl]

They have it in the states but I've only had it in the can. Sounds like a good idea to try with vodka.

[EvergreenDan]

Are you sure you've had Aranciata AMARA? The links says it is available only in glass. I've never seen it. Regular non-arara Aranciata is pretty easy to find and comes in cans (and glass, I think).

[suzigirl]

You are right. I was mistaken. How much difference is there?I still must say the one I can get sounds good to try with vodka.

[thimes]

And my Costco has been carrying a mixed case of the orange and lemon!!

[EvergreenDan]

My guess is that there is quite a lot of difference. Amara means bitter. SanBitter is quite bitter, in a good way.

[thatwhileifound]

Yeah, the Amara is a step more towards the bitterness of their chinotto from what I remember when I tasted it. The new-ish to the Canadian market Aranciata Rosso is a nice mixer, nicer than the regular Aranciata in my mind. It's not particularly more bitter or anything, but it's got a slightly more full, complex flavor.

[sedimental]

I drink stevia in plain soda or unsweetened seltzer. This stuff is really good:
http://www.amazon.com/SWEETLEAF-Stevi...

Just 5 or 6 drops in sparkling water or decaf iced tea is perfect for me. I don't typically drink sweetened drinks with vodka- but I don't see why you couldn't with this. I use regular (non flavored) Truvia in some drinks too- where you wouldn't want a flavor- but I think the liquid tastes better in general. My health food store has ALL kinds of flavors- I bet you could find a fruit one you like.

You might try this in a sparkling water WITH a flavored vodka.

[davis_sq_pro]

How about buying some fresh strawberries and fresh kiwi, muddling them with the vodka or some other spirit, then topping up with sodium-free club soda?

[tinnywatty]

What do you love about vodka? Most of the time in a vodka mixed drink, you're tasting the mixer, not the vodka. If you really do love the taste of vodka, then I'd say drink it straight. But it sounds to me like you enjoyed the strawberry kiwi soda's flavor, so see if you can find something similar that meets your restrictions. Maybe a natural foods store would have a similar soda that's sweetened with natural sugar- Hansen's or similar brand? There are also less-sweet soda options with interesting flavors (Grown Up Soda, DRY soda) that you could try.

Have you tried fresh-squeezed orange juice? I find it to be much less acidic than the store bought kind. You could also mix with sparkling wine or sparkling apple or other fruit cider.

[suzigirl]

You hit the nail on the head. I love the soda water. I quit smoking, no problem. Diet drinks is killing me.I want put my face on the glass and oggle the drinks longingly. Strange how things work. I think Hansen's is a great place to start.

[ericthered]

Try cranberry juice cocktail