Instead of wine, kombucha or pekmez: the world of non-alcoholic drinks gains ground

Today, it can be considered evident that an outstanding catering establishment does not offer commercial drinks. You can find commercial soft drinks in fewer and fewer places, but lemonades are also mostly made from homemade syrup. Of course, we still have much less choice if we are driving or if we do not feel like drinking alcohol, since the wine list or the cocktail list is often much more varied than the non-alcoholic drink selection. However, there are efforts around the world, and thus also in Hungary, thanks to which units offer pre-planned non-alcoholic drinks alongside the courses or the menu.   

Similar to the restaurants SALT, MÁK or Costes in Budapest, many rural restaurants - including Platán Gourmet in Tata and Góré in Kisharsány - offer non-alcoholic drink pairings with their meals, which can open up new dimensions in the range of restaurant experiences that have been unknown so far. Ákos Péter, the business manager and head waiter of Góré, is a real innovator who experiments with reckless courage in the world of non-alcoholic drinks and is not afraid to land in a place where a guest has never been before. As he says, Góré is now creating the fifth such menu, which includes non-alcoholic drink pairings that have been dreamed up for the menu in a unique way in our country.   

"In Hungary, only a few of us are experimenting with this, which is why it is a very exciting field. It is difficult to gather inspiration, as we are treading completely new, wild waters, one can only rely on one's own creativity and culinary curiosity," says the business manager, who has been making squashes, syrups, and cocktails for a long time, and his efforts could only really come to fruition within the walls of the Góré. According to Ákos Péter, preparing the non-alcoholic drink line is a real game with acids, but it is a big challenge to sneak umami flavours into the drink, so that you do not even accidentally make a mediocre batch."

The harmony of the drink itself is important, but the dialogue with the food is also essential. During my work, I either select an accented flavour from the course and reflect on it in the drink paired with it, or I create a pair of opposites - in a similar way to the alcoholic beverage line. In addition to the concept, the decoration is also important, for which I draw inspiration from confectionery.

Acids, aromas, colours, spices, umami and other exciting ingredients - the range of non-alcoholic drinks is much more colourful than you might think. Fermented drinks, for example, are opening up new horizons, which can be great substitutes for beer and champagne due to their bright flavours and full acidity. Kombucha is a naturally sparkling probiotic drink, which is actually the fermentation result of tea, sugar and mushroom culture. It is similar to cider and it can even be made at home. Its fermentation takes place in 7-10 days and it is full of probiotic microorganisms, vitamins, enzymes, beneficial bacteria and amino acids. Water kefir and kvass are similar fermented drinks, and the diversity of their flavours can only be limited by the starry sky.

Must is also a superb addition to a dinner, but even more unique is must mead, or pekmez. The caramel-flavoured delicacy brought by the Turks is actually a must reduction, with a density somewhere between jam and syrup. A brew of must reduced to about a fifth can be a great addition to non-alcoholic drinks.

If it is a reduction, then according to Ákos Péter, an excellent syrup can be made from cascara, which is the pulp of the fruit of the coffee bean. During the preparation of coffee, the pulp removed from the coffee beans is dried, this is called dried coffee cherry, from which excellent syrup or tea can be made. It is also worth mentioning the fruit waters and super juices, in Góré, for example, a sublime drink is made from organic lemons from Lajosmizse but verjuice, which is the squeezed juice of green grapes, is also an excellent item.

The business manager of Góré tells us that no matter what is in the non-alcoholic drinks line, it is worth experimenting as a guest, and not only to choose the above-mentioned specialties if we cannot drink alcoholic beverages. Let's be brave and open to this amazing new world.