A Drink for the Allergic.

If you've looked at my profile picture before or after you read the title, you may have estimated an article about the "Asian flush".

While that is a real thing, let me tell you another -- more unique short non-fiction story of my life: "Tiffany Scarlett's Allergy"

It started like this....

Drinking never appealed to the young, adolescent me. So, by the time I was 18, I'd never really had prior drinking experiences. That year, some of my friends decided to help me out. As with most allergies, you don't really know you have them until you come across it. Sometimes the consequences are astronomically more significant than others. Thankfully, mine was on the lower end of that spectrum.

There came a day, when my friends and I were just "hanging out". They cracked open a few bottles of who-knows-what and offered me some. So I accepted, drank it and the next thing I knew, I was puking it all up. The alcohol went straight to my head, my stomach and then right back up. I got a bad headache, my ears were beet red, but no drunk phase -- it was almost an immediate rejection out of my system.

So, of course, the next time I saw a doctor, I quickly mentioned this as a secondary topic, and what do you know? I'm allergic to alcohol.

And yes, you likely have not met too many other people genuinely "allergic" to alcohol. Interestingly enough, I'm also allergic to coffee bean... but not peanuts or any other "normal" allergy. This is, however, besides the point.

Let's fast forward.

Someone very dear to me once told me "hey, you know... you'd make a cheap date." Of course, he said it teasingly, with a hint of love. So, the next time I went on a date, I took notice of the bill when it came.

He. Was. Right.

No alcohol was added to the bill -- I was a cheap date. We had a lovely meal, it ended there, and we went our separate ways.

I didn't truly care whether or not I was a "cheap date", I just cared for an authentically good time. Plus, I'd never missed out on having fun simply because I didn't have alcohol in my system.

But.... it never hurts to experiment, right?

A short while later, another opportunity came and I joined some new friends for a get together. I decided, I could also order a fancy drink with added nutritional benefits. And here it was: "Virgin Caesar, extra spicy, on the rocks.. please".

It was kind of a success... people were so amused that I ordered essentially tomato juice, that I didn't have to go through the whole confusing "I'm allergic to alcohol" explanation.

But the story doesn't end here. There's an even more peculiar twist.

Quite a few years later, I was introduced to Kombucha. It is curiously delicious. But the fermentation acted like the agent that "gets you drunk." And very interestingly, I felt tipsy. The much lower percentage within Kombucha made.. I guess.. the right "party" drink for me!

So, to make things fun, I thought I'd give my Virgin Caersar a little kick.

I spiked my "virgin caesar" with some pineapple flavoured kombucha, salted the rims, sliced a lime and sprinkled pepper.

It hit just the right spot.

So, here's the recipe for my classic almost virgin Caesar:

- 1/4 glass of Kombucha - flavour of your choice, choose wisely

- 3/4 glass of tomato juice

- half cup of ice

- 1 tsp sea salt

- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (or none, that's fine too)

- 1 dash of hot sauce (or just pepper if that's hot enough)

- a pinch or two of pepper

For those of you out there that are just like me and can't drink alcohol, you also might not enjoy tomato juice or kombucha-- both of which can be an acquired taste. So, of course, adjust the recipe as you will, or toss it out completely, both are fine.

But if you do decide to try it, I'd love your feedback... or an alternative recipe is fine, too!

I'm Tiffany Scarlett, I'm 26, and I'm still allergic to alcohol.