Before we had TikTok dance challenges, we had the Macarena, a four-step dance routine that required little to no effort and could be performed by just about anyone. The English vocal track to the song we all know, love and now have stuck in our heads is pretty dirty if you stop dancing for a second to listen to the words: it tells the story of a woman who, bored with her boyfriend, fools around with two of his friends. Well, like music, some of the best cocktails are those that are secretly dirty, too. The hit of savoury from olive brine, which is usually reserved for dirty martinis, takes this mocktail from fruity and sweet to perfectly balanced, while the added science-nerd bonus is that the salt from the brine lowers the freezing point of the juices and makes the drink stingingly cold. It’s perfect for cooling off after an energetic dance.
Ay Mockarena
Serves 1
120ml mango nectar, from large supermarkets and Asian food stores
90ml fresh orange juice
25ml fresh lime juice
15ml olive brine
1-2 mint sprigs, to garnish
Combine all the liquids in a shaker, add ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice , garnish with the mint sprigs and serve with a straw.
This is an edited extract from Saved By the Bellini & Other 90s-Inspired Cocktails, by John deBary, published by Union Square & Co at £12.99. To order a copy for £11.43, go the guardianbookshop.com
