Tournée Minérale is upon us: Tangerine Cocktail

Tournée Minérale is the Belgian version of Dry January, except that Belgians try to give their livers a well-deserved break with an alcohol-free month in February (that’s right, the shortest month of the year – well played, Belgium).

That’s why we’re sharing a delicious recipe for a no-booze tangerine cocktail by Joachim Boudens, sommelier for the Hertog Jan Restaurant Group. In his book 'Wat zullen we drinken' ('What shall we drink' - 2016, in Dutch), he teaches readers how to pair the perfect drink with the perfect meal and how to create your own drinks. This tasty spice-infused concoction is sure to keep your mind off of alcohol.

• 1 l sugar water (500 g water and 500 g sugar)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 piece of licorice
• 1⁄2 nutmeg
• 2 tonka beans
• 1 Bourbon vanilla pod 
• 5 g Szechuan pepper

• 100 ml freshly squeezed tangerine juice
• 25 ml spice syrup
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 1 fresh cinnamon stick
• Ice cubes

1. Heat the sugar water. Grate or bruise all the other ingredients. Add all the ingredients to the hot sugar water and allow to infuse for 30 minutes. Pour everything through a fine sieve and allow to cool.

This cocktail is perfect in wintertime. You can use the juice of left-over tangerines.

2. Fill a glass with ice cubes and add some tangerine slices as garnish.
   3. Mix in all the ingredients.
   4. Grate some fresh cinnamon onto the glass for the aroma and serve with a short (reusable) straw.