By Taylor Smith 

Trish Pepe Lauden and Diane Aemisegeo are two moms who wanted to be able to craft a fresh, natural, non-syrupy or sugary cocktail at home. Both admittedly enjoy the challenge of cooking locally and seasonally, and wanted this to be reflected in at-home drink offerings. Tired of having to frequent the same restaurants for a health-conscious cocktail, the two women created ROOT, which uses all-natural, organic ingredients to formulate the perfect cocktail (or mocktail) for your next neighborhood barbeque. 

ROOT’s mixers are decidedly gender neutral and earthy in scope. Each 16-ounce bottle makes between 8-16 amazing cocktails. Au Pear screams summer with notes of natural pear, lemon, and a hint of orange. The Cuke is a refreshing blend of cucumber, lime, and elderflower. Hibi Hibi contains hibiscus tea, elderflower, and a hint of lime. Perfect with vodka or gin, The Hound is grapefruit, tart cherry, and just a dash of sweetness from organic cane sugar. 

The Granada, containing pomegranate, lemongrass, and lemon, is sure to impress your dinner guests. The founders recommend The Lemongrass blend for a unique take on the classic margarita, suggesting 2 parts ROOT Lemongrass for 1 part of your favorite tequila, mixed and served on the rocks with sugar on the raw rim. Another suggestion is adding ROOT’s Au Pear to tequila, along with freshly sliced jalapeño peppers. 

If you are interested in sampling the various blends, ROOT is served at Manasquan River Golf Club in Brielle (https://www.mrgc.com) and Spring Lake Golf Club in Spring Lake (https://www.springlakegolfclub.net). ROOT can be purchased at Brew 362 in Pittstown, Total Wine & More (in West Orange and River Edge), online at https://rootcrafted.com, and on Amazon (https://amzn.to/2NEWMEj). 

Cheers to a delicious summer!