Hobson’s Choice
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙
Hobson’s Choice is a non-alcoholic cooler of fresh orange, apple and lime juices with a little grenadine, shaken and served long over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Orange juice 60 mlApple juice 60 mlLime juice 30 mlGrenadine syrup 10 mlSaline solution 2 dashes (opt.)
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a lime wheel
Tips
- Squeeze the orange and lime fresh; together they make up more than half the drink.
- If you use saline, add it a dash at a time and taste; even a little too much flattens the fruit.
History
Hobson's Choice is a modern non-alcoholic mixed drink whose name plays on the English phrase for a take-it-or-leave-it non-choice. The phrase traces to Thomas Hobson, a Cambridge livery-stable keeper of the late 16th and early 17th centuries who rented out only the horse nearest the door — take that one or none at all. No single creator or date is documented for the drink itself.
FAQ
Why is it called Hobson's choice?
The name comes from the English idiom for a choice with only one option: take it or leave it. It traces to Thomas Hobson, a Cambridge stable keeper who made customers take the horse nearest the door or none. The name is wordplay, not a reference to the drink's own history.