Parsley, Sage,Rosemary and Thyme

I’m sorry I couldn’t help myself. I love that song! Anyways if you didn’t guess it, this post is all about herbs and cocktails. I will be exploring different herbs and including them in cocktails in various ways. There are so many herbs to use and so many ways to use them. I will be focusing on the more familiar. I will also do one cocktail with an herb I am familiar cooking with but not drinking. I say you don’t know until you try! So let’s get down to business. Which herbs did I choose?

Parsley
Sage
Rosemary
Thyme
Mint
Basil

Now these are not the only herbs you can use. I love lavender but I feel like that’s more of a flower than herb. I had suggestions for tarragon, lemongrass and Thai basil just to start but I had to set a limit.

What are we going to do with you?

So now I have to figure out how I’m going to feature my herb. There are numerous ways of displaying my herb. You can do anything from simple syrup, garnishes to infused sugar rims, aromatics to infused liquors(which I want explore in another post so we won’t be doing that one today).

Let’s keep it Simple

So as I mentioned we could incorporate the herbs through making simple syrup. I chose to use sage and thyme(with lemon) this way. I used the same simple syrup recipe I have used in past posts

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
8-10 leaves (whichever herb you chose)
And of course 1 chopped of lemon for the thyme

I chose to muddle after boiling and sitting for 15 minutes to make sure I got all the flavor out.

For the sage syrup add all ingredients to the pot. Boil until all sugar is dissolved. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes then strain into a jar. I chose to add 1 drop of green food dye to intensify the color for my cocktails.

All the Sage

So in this recipe we included the Sage simple syrup and the dehydrated sage leaf for garnish. I started with those items and built out from there. This is the recipe I came up with.

1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz limoncello
1/2 oz Elderflower liquor
1 1/2 oz fuji apple juice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
3/4 oz of homemade sage simply syrup
1 egg white
Dehydrated sage leaf for garnish

Add all ingredients except for sage leaf. Dry shake. Add ice shake for 15 seconds. Then double strain. Garnish with leaf.

Now going in this same direction we are going dehydrated mint instead. After it is dehydrated I am going crush them up and use them as garnish again. I will also be using them with muddling as well. Ok here we go!

In Mint Condition

1 1/2 oz tequila
3/4 oz Raspberry liquor
1 1/2 oz watermelon juice
1 oz lime juice
3/4 oz watermelon syrup
4-5 mint leaves
1 egg white
1/2 tablespoon of dried crushed mint
1 lime peel and clip for garnish
1 index card cut in half vertically

Add mint leaves, lemon juice and syrup and muddle. Add watermelon juice, both liquors and egg white. Dry shake. Add ice shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Then double strain. See below on how to garnish with crushed leaves.

** Remember to tap the spoon lightly at a tilt to control how much drops and where.

Now after I’ve done that part I just cut my peel into a shape and clip it on the side.

And this is the end result!

I think it’s Thyme to Muddle it up!

So I decided to muddle 2 of the herbs. Basil is the first and I chose to pair it with strawberry. I also decided to also use it as a fresh garnish because I have been focusing on more creative garnishes. So here’s what I came up with.

BS (basil and strawberry) Cough

Named by one of girlfriends , this one was delicious!! This cocktail incorporates basil through muddling and fresh garnish. That way you experience the basil through taste and aroma.

2 oz gin
1 oz Raspberry liquor
1 oz lemon juice
2-3 strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar
4 basil leaves
Sparkling Lemonade to top

Add basil leaves, strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and muddle. Add gin, Raspberry liquor and ice. Shake vigorously. Double strain and top with sparkling lemonade. Garnish with lemon peel and fresh basil

The Secret Garden

1 1/2 oz Pisco
1 oz Grapefruit liquor
1/2 oz green chartreuse
1 oz lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 springs of parsley
Sweet yellow pepper blossoms

Add parsley, sugar and lemon and Muddle. Then add chartreuse, grapefruit liquor and Pisco. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain and garnish with 2 blossoms.

Let’s just dress it up

So sometimes herbs can be used as a last thought. A simple rosemary spring is the perfect garnish. It brings a level of freshness, elegance and aroma to complete your cocktail.

The Sassy Sour

2 oz Bourbon
1 oz pear liquor
1/2 oz Aperol
1 oz of fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4 oz pear syrup
1 egg white
3 drops of sassafras and sorghum bitters
Lemon peel and rosemary for garnish

Add bourbon, pear liquor, aperol, lemon juice, syrup and egg white. Dry shake. Add ice and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. Double strain and add drops. Garnish with lemon peel and rosemary.

A little something extra

If you want to go a little further before serving add some aromatic. Take a match and lightly burn the tip rosemary garnish. People will love it!

A little Aromatherapy

So I mentioned above that you lightly burn the rosemary before serving. I have seen another was method that I’m going try with my last cocktail. This method is known as a smoke garnish.

The Triple Threat!

So I was going to do 1 triple threat buy it turned into because I couldn’t resist. So this one will focus on rosemary because I don’t think she got enough spot light. I will present her in 3 ways: aromatic, muddled and fresh garnish. Here she is. I couldn’t resist the title!

Rosemary’s Baby

1 /2 oz white rum
1/2 oz cointreau
3/4 oz Aperol
2 oz tangerine juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
3-4 springs of rosemary
1/2 blood orange chopped in chunks
1 dehydrated blood orange
***highly recommend a spritz glasses some sort of large wine glass for the aromatics

Now you have to set your glass in preparation. Lay a piece of the rosemary on a board. Light it just a little and when it starts smoking place the glass upside down to catch it. Leave it there until right when you’re pouring the glass.

While that is sitting add blood orange chunks, 1 large spring of rosemary and simple syrup then muddle. Add liquors and tangerine juice. Then add ice shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Lift glass and then double strain. Then garnish!

So I had a recent request for a cucumber cocktail. Now this is another venture into unfamiliar territory. I had seen enough cucumber cocktail recipes to have an idea of what types of flavors are compatible with cucumber. I felt that while researching herbs this was the perfect opportunity to explore that. So I decided to incorporate the herbs in 3 forms: simple syrup, muddling and fresh garnish. I decided to use the lemon and Thyme simple. And with going that route, I stayed with herb. So my main flavors would be cucumber, lemon and Thyme. All subtle flavors that would allow each other each other to shine. Here is the recipe I came up with.

It’s Cucumber Thyme!

2 oz vodka
1/2 oz limoncello
1/2 oz Elderflower liquor
1 oz lemon and Thyme simple syrup
1-2 small seedless cucumbers
Sparkling limon soda (lemon seltzer)to top
2-4 springs of Thyme
1 dehydrated lemon

** slice 2-3 long thin slices of cucumber and lay them inside the glass the way then add ice. This will allow for better presentation.

Add 1/2 cucumber diced, 2 springs of Thyme and 1 oz of simple syrup and muddle. Add all 2 liquors. The Add ice. Shake vigorously and double strain into glass. Then top with sparkling soda or seltzer. Then garnish!