At Christmas markets, some stands offer alternatives to alcoholic drinks. But they are not popular. If more and more bars are also experimenting with 0% cocktails in the city of Zurich, on the Münsterhof square on the other hand, visitors rather ask for a dose of brandy in their mulled wine, according to Peter Knup, portmanteau word of the winter market. Demand is still low for the sober version. Moreover, some organizers themselves are not convinced by its taste. On the other hand, whiskey in hot apple juice goes well, reports the “Tages-Anzeiger”.
In French-speaking Switzerland either, nothing dethrones the number one drink at Christmas markets. In Lausanne, the same story as in Zurich. “For nearly 60% of the mulled wines sold, customers ask for additional alcohol, such as amaretto or rum,” confides Olivier Gallandat, spokesperson for Bô Noël, which opened last Wednesday. And if we don’t look further to delight other taste buds, it’s because “at the moment, we are not seeing a demand” for healthier alternatives.
Visitors who want to be able to get back behind the wheel must therefore fall back on hot chocolate, Christmas tea or even hot apple juice, “which works very well”, according to the communicator. In addition, this year, a new drink based on ginger and honey, produced in Ecublens (VD), entered the Lausanne market.
In Geneva, Noël au Quai is no exception. “We are offering more and more alternatives to non-alcoholic drinks, such as beer, hot gin, amaretto mule. Even if it remains a very small request, it makes a change from simple hot tea for those who want to stay in the theme,” says Lara Mai Vo Van, co-organizer of the event. On the Quai du Mont-Blanc, “classic mulled wine is sold 9 times out of 10, and hot chocolate comes in second place”. Noël au Quai therefore “does not intend to develop a de-alcoholized version at any cost”.
Excess can lead to violence
“At Christmas markets, visitors drink too much. It would be healthier to reduce the amount of alcohol in drinks. The effects of excess are known,” declares Martin Bienlein, spokesperson for the Blue Cross. The association which helps dependent people estimates that “40,000 acts of domestic violence linked to alcohol are committed each year”. The communicator is already thinking about Dry January, a month which allows you to “reconsider your consumption of alcohol on an empty stomach”.
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For a successful non-alcoholic mulled wine
“20minutes” offers you the recipe, for a dozen people:
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Put, in a saucepan, 1 liter of red grape juice, 3 dl of water, 1 pinch of nutmeg, 1 pinch of powdered ginger, 3 cloves, 2 star anise stars, 2 cinnamon sticks , an organic lemon and 1-2 organic oranges cut into slices.
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Bring to the boil and cook gently for 15 minutes.
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Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for at least half a day.
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But be careful: don’t add sugar. Grape juice is already very sweet.
