IN-focus
full bodied
says Mr G
Skinny latte? Zero fat Greek yogurt? Low-calorie bolognese? Yum, yum, ain’t life grand? There’s nothing wrong with a healthy diet. Actually it’s a very good idea and one that I embrace and advocate. I aim for my five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, not always successfully, but I aim for them. I try to drink plenty of water instead of consuming countless coffees. And a big fat chocolate dessert is something that I can happily leave alone. Moreover, I do actually run several days a week and I’m no stranger to the gym. Occasionally though I like to indulge. It’s those cheats and shortcuts that upset me. If you’re going to have that latte, have that latte. Don’t just go for the thin, weedy, watery, apologetic, I-won’t-hurt-you, latte. And the same goes for cocktails. When I’m at home, as I said, I go for a generally healthy kind of diet, which I complement with an occasionally indulgent meal. And if I want a cocktail (it has been known) I have a cocktail. Moreover, when I’m out and about, well, I’m really out and about. Life? Live it large. When I order a cocktail I want it big. I’m not talking size of glass, I’m talking big on everything that truly makes a great cocktail sublime and one of life’s most satisfying experiences. Full of flavour from big spirits, big liqueurs, big syrups, big everything. I want taste, experience and effect. And if that means a few big calories, then so, be, it. Tomorrow I’ll go light on the pasta or do an extra thousand metres on my morning run.
Illustration by nick schon
A good lifestyle, like a good cocktail, is about balance. Knowing when to indulge and when to hold back, not about flimsy half-way measures. A cocktail with a little less sugar, a little less fat and a little less whatever? The thought just makes me feel sad. And when was a cocktail supposed to make you feel sad? Whether it’s a Martini, sour, highball, flip, punch, shot, toddy or something with a bit of Champagne loveliness I want the real McCoy. I want richness, cream, fruit, sugar, salt, fat-wash, syrup, foam, liqueurs, more syrups, more liqueurs and more of everything in general. I want it all. And I want it now. Not in the same glass, at the same time, obviously, but I want it. What I don’t want is a health warning and small print about calories and fat content. When I’m in a bar the only print I need is the menu. And the only warning I’ll listen to is the voice of that little angel that sits on my shoulder and advises me against one last night cap. Cocktails? Thank you, I’ll go large or I’ll go home.
skinny says Ms S Er, hello! I’m a woman, I’m obsessed with diets. Whether I actually adhere to the call of the cal is by-the-by, but trust me, I do know the difference between an apple and a cream cake. The same can be said about the contents of my glass. I’m very much aware that one all-singing, all-dancing cocktail, although very pretty to look at and absolutely scrummy to taste, can be the equivalent of a big slab of chocolate in terms of sugar and calorie content. And while I’m unlikely to munch my way through more than one choccy bar in a sitting (well, not in company at any rate), I can indulge in three, sometimes more, cocktails of an evening no problem. Bam! That’s around 600+ calories even before the munchies have set in. That’s not to say I’m planning to go cold turkey on the cocktail front any time soon – no sir. However, I do want to be more responsible about my drinking. And anything I can do to make the cocktails I succumb to ‘better’ for me is very much appreciated, both by my waistline and my overall health. Taking a leaf out of the Drink, Eat, Live book (p. 35) is one way to have your cocktails and drink them as it were. Choosing from the ‘Skinny’ section of the drinks menu is another. Here’s where bar chains come into their own. Groups like Be At One and Dirty Martini make a feature of the dedicated low-cal cocktails on their lists. Some, like Dirty Martini and Drake & Morgan, go one step further by giving an approximate calorie count for their slimline drinks. Naff? Possibly. Appealing to guilty girlies? Definitely. But who cares? When you’re ‘fessing up to your daily consumption on your MyFitnessPal app (myfitnesspal.com), it helps to know what you’re dealing with. But it’s not just about the calories. It’s also about making healthier choices. I, for one am keeping a beady eye on the amount of sugar creeping into my drinks. Syrups and liqueurs don’t pretend to be anything other than what they are, it’s those diet sodas and slimline tonics that mess with your mind. What they lack in calories they make up for in artificial sweeteners which are just as bad for your body as the real deal. Plus, and here’s the rub, people far cleverer than me claim that alcohol mixed with diet soda is reputed to get you drunker faster. Now that may sound appealing if you’re an irresponsible teen, but when you’re a grown-up, it ain’t particularly clever. Yes, I agree with Mr G that life’s too short to obsess about calories, but it can last a little longer if you care about your health. #justsayin’
The Cocktail Lovers - 37