Party Responsibly with Nonalcoholic Drinks from AA(A)

BURNSVILLE, Minn., Dec. 20, 2004 -- What might your holiday party guests prefer as a nonalcoholic drink option? Perhaps something light with a touch of tartness such as the Schumacher's Sun Splash, served in Schumacher's Hotel and Restaurant in New Prague, Minn. Or maybe something a little more on the creamy side such as the Il Gelo di Firenze (The Florence Freeze), a favorite with patrons of Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano in Davenport, Iowa.

These are just two of the alcohol-free recipes for party drinks included in the 2004-2005 edition of The Great Pretenders Party Guide, published by The Auto Club Group and available free to anyone who wants a copy.

The colorful, 20-page booklet includes 13 nonalcoholic recipes provided by hospitality managers at some of the AAA Diamond-rated hotels and restaurants in the eight states served by the six AAA clubs in The Auto Club Group (ACG): AAA Chicago, AAA Michigan, AAA Minnesota/Iowa, AAA Nebraska, AAA North Dakota and AAA Wisconsin.

The Great Pretenders Party Guide, now in its 26th year of publication, is part of AAA's ongoing campaign to reduce deaths and injuries caused by drunk drivers. Having tasty, nonalcoholic beverages available can help hosts moderate alcohol consumption by guests as a party progresses.

In the guide's introductory message, Jeff Ogden, president of AAA Minnesota/Iowa, notes that in 2003, more than 17,000 people died in the United States in vehicle crashes in which alcohol consumption was a factor. "We hope you will have great joy entertaining family and friends during the holiday season, but please do so responsibly," Ogden said.

To emphasize the drunk driving problem, the guide has several charts showing how alcohol affects drivers. There also are tips for helping party hosts monitor alcohol consumption and deal with someone who drinks too much.

In addition to nonalcoholic drink recipes, the guide has four recipes for party snacks, reprinted with the permission of Simon & Schuster Inc. from "All About Party Foods & Drink," one of the books in Scribner's "Joy of Cooking" series.

To obtain free copies of The Great Pretenders Party Guide, visit any AAA Minnesota/Iowa branch office, or call toll-free to 1-800-222-1333, or visit http://www.aaa.com/ and go to the "What's New" section.

AAA Minnesota/Iowa, which includes more than 720,000 members, offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 47 million members in the United States and Canada.