Photos by Taylor Amos
Jules Aron wants to change the way you approach cocktails. Named “the wellness mixologist” by Women’s Health magazine, Aron, a certified holistic nutritionist, works as a beverage consultant to transform our relationship with drinking. She also serves as the Director of Mixology and Beverage for the annual Seed Food & Wine Festival held in Miami and works with the nonprofit Fresh Rx in Palm Beach, raising funds for their “fresh produce prescription program.”
The author of five best-selling books, including “Zen and Tonic: Savory and Fresh Cocktails for the Enlightened Drinker,” and her newly released “The Low-Proof Happy Hour,” she’s the bartender you’ll want to listen to when you want to switch to cocktails that leave you feeling happy and well.
We caught up with her for some much-needed insight, which luckily for us, included a recipe as well.
Q&A
Why bartending?
If you think of life’s most memorable occasions, food and drinks are undoubtedly at the center of them.
Cocktails, in particular, bring unlikely people together, facilitate conversations and debates and nurture long-lasting connections you might otherwise have missed out on.
What started as a means of putting myself through college many years ago has turned into a long, cherished, multifaceted profession that has nurtured me on every level.
Favorite quote?
‘The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.’ —Henry Miller
Cocktail you make to win a “healthy drink” skeptic?
The Summer Thyme is perhaps the most popular cocktail from my first book “Zen and Tonic.” It blends everyone’s favorite summer berry — the strawberry — with a whisper of aromatic thyme as well as fresh citrus and gin. No sweeteners are required, just a soft muddle and a shake, showcasing nature at its finest.
Drink everyone needs to know, and why?
The iconic Negroni — the bitter, sweet and spirit-forward drink that’s all about flavor. An aperitivo cocktail, the Negroni is meant to stimulate the appetite and when it’s hot and humid, as it often is in our beloved tropical city, few things are as refreshingly astringent.
Hottest cocktail trend right now? Why?
Low and no ABV [alcohol by volume] cocktails. It’s the topic of my latest book: “The Low-Proof Happy Hour,” for a reason. We have come a long way, in terms of how consumers drink (or choose not to drink.) People are both savvier customers and much more health-conscious than they were even five years ago. This has shifted the balance from quantity to quality in a bar setting, where guests prefer a choice of mindfully crafted cocktails, including lower proof and even zero proof varieties to complete their social outings and experiences.
Best piece of advice you ever got?
Creativity stems from habit.
This is a lesson that has taken me years to understand, as we often believe that creativity is whimsical and spontaneous. Yet, as a five-time author, I can assure you that the best creative strategy comes with discipline and consistency.
Best bar snacks?
Truffle fries, cheese and charcuterie plate, oysters… I love tapas and appetizers, they are often both bar snacks and dinner for me when I’m out — a sharp contrast from the cleaner veggie-centric meals I enjoy at home.
Who, living or not, would you want to make a drink for?
Call me old-fashioned, (pun intended) but I would always choose my closest friends and family. There’s no one else I’d rather share a cherished moment and a drink with.
Peas & Love Cocktail
1 ½ ounce St-Germain
elderflower liqueur
½ ounce sweet pea syrup
½ ounce lemon juice
2 ounces sparkling wine
1 ounce sparkling water
Garnish with aromatic herbs
Add the elderflower liqueur, pea syrup and lemon juice to a mixing glass with ice and shake thoroughly. Strain into a wine glass filled with fresh ice and top with sparkling wine and water. Garnish with herbs.