Juicing. What a controversial topic! I won’t bore you with my thoughts and philosophies around juicing, but let’s just say I own a gorgeous juicer and credit a juice fast for kickstarting a healthier lifestyle that let to pre-wedding weight loss. While I will probably never do a true juice fast again, I do love a good glass of green juice in the morning. And I love playing around with fresh fruit juices in cocktails.
Have you ever done a juice fast through one of the mail-order companies? That’s what I really wanted to do, but the juicing fad never caught on here in Japan (probably because apples cost approximately $2 EACH). So I had to design my own juice cleanse. Most of them end the night with a creamy, nut milk-based drink that’s designed to make you feel like you’re not being deprived of dessert. They sound amazing, but attempts at my own nut milk were fairly unsuccessful. They were okay, although a bit grainy. But SUCH A PAIN to make. So I had to come up with a different way make myself feel better about skipping dessert.
That’s where this juice recipe comes from. It’s a little creamy from the pear, which leaves a cappuccino-like frothy foam on top once juiced. Or at least that’s what I was able to convince myself. The ginger and cinnamon make your delusional brain vaguely recall pumpkin pie or chai. And if you put it in a pretty glass, you can pretend you’re drinking a cocktail.
But this recipe isn’t just for you crazy juicers out there. I love it for breakfast. And I have been known to add a splash of bourbon, gin or vodka to turn it into a first-rate cocktail for dinner parties or a special treat.
- 1 creamy pear, such as Comice, Bartlett, Taylor's Gold (don't use a crisp pear, like an asian pear. the texture won't lead to the same creamy juice)
- 2 mandarin or clementine oranges, peeled
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
- cinnamon
- special equipment: a juicer
- Prep the pear for juicing per your particular juicer's instructions.
- Run the orange and ginger through the juicer.
- Run the pear through the juicer.
- Stir gently to mix juice, but try to keep the foam on the surface intact.
- Pour into a glass and sprinkle with a little bit of cinnamon.
- You can add a shot of your favorite bourbon, gin or vodka to turn this into a cocktail. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or rosemary sprig.
