Citrus
The most important thing you need to know about growing citrus for cocktails is that the rind is just as important as the juice. If you happen have a funky old citrus tree in your backyard and you believe its fruit to be inedible, you might be in luck. The peel might make fabulous limoncello or infused vodka. In fact, most of the great orange liqueurs like Curaçao come from Caribbean islands where Spaniards planted citrus trees, the trees produced nasty, inedible fruit, and someone figured out that the peels could be soaked in booze and still taste pretty good. Most citrus trees can be grown...
Read MoreLavandula Intoxicataea
1 – 1.5 oz Dry Fly Gin, Aviation Gin, or Hendricks’ Gin. (see note) 1 quarter fresh lemon 4 oz DRY Soda, lavender flavor A dash of Scrappy’s Lavender Bitters or Bar Keep Lavender Spice bitters Garnish options: Fresh lavender sprig, Johnny jump-up (viola), pansy, borage blossom, or lemon twist Ice In a tall, skinny Collins glass or a short tumbler filled with ice, pour gin over ice. Squeeze one lemon wedge over ice and drop into glass. Top with Dry Lavender Soda and a dash of Scrappy’s Lavender Bitters. Garnish. Note: 1.5 oz is a serving of gin, but if you’d like to...
Read MoreThe Herbarium
1.5 oz Hendrick’s Gin .5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur 3-4 chunks lemon cucumber or regular cucumber 2-3 sprigs basil ¼ lemon Club soda Borage blossom or basil leaf for garnish Squeeze lemon into cocktail shaker and combine all ingredients except the club soda. Muddle cucumber and basil, then add ice, shake, and strain into a tall, skinny Collins glass filled with ice. Top with club soda and add garnish. Like...
Read MoreTequila Honey
1.5 oz 100% agave añejo or reposado tequila .5 oz Sage-honey syrup (see note) ½ lemon, preferably a Meyer lemon Sage leaf for garnish Note: To make sage-honey syrup, combine equal parts hot water and honey, and add fresh sage leaves. Allow to steep for one hour before using. Squeeze lemon into cocktail shaker and add the other ingredients. Shake well with ice and strain into a glass over ice. Add garnish.
Read MoreChamomile Hot Toddy
Chamomile Hot Toddy 1-2 oz whiskey 1-2 oz honey-chamomile syrup (see note) Lemon wedge 6-8 cloves Note: Make honey-chamomile syrup by combining equal parts honey and hot water. Add fresh (or dried) chamomile blossoms and allow to steep for 1 hour, then strain. Pour hot water into a heat-proof glass. While you wait for it to heat the glass, press cloves into the rind of the lemon wedge and set aside. Empty the glass and coat the inside with syrup, then add the whiskey and top with hot water. Squeeze the lemon into the drink and drop it into the glass.
Read MoreDrink Your Flowers
Not every flower belongs in a cocktail glass. But these do. They’re easy to grow and totally worthwhile. Check it out: Borage. People say that borage leaves taste like cucumber, but if that’s the flavor you’re after, why not just eat a cucumber? Use the leaves if you want—some people pick small, young leaves for salads or cook them with other greens—but it’s the flowers I’m interested in. The dazzling bright blue color isn’t found in many flowers, particularly edibles, and the fact that they hold their color when frozen means that you can do a very elegant little ice...
Read MoreBooks by Amy Stewart
The Drunken Botanist
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