With the advent of warm weather we find ourselves parched and craving a cool, refreshing beverage. Fresh flavorful herbs add complexity and character to a cocktail, and are a sure way pique your palate. Whether you are garnishing with mainstays like basil, rosemary or mint, or infusing with adventurous edibles like jalapeño or lavender, these herbs are guaranteed to take your cocktail to the next level.
Special thank you to the bar staff at Richmond, Virginia’s new, hip cocktail den The Rogue Gentlemen for creating these creative, delicious recipes for Paste magazine.
Basil
The Cocktail: Basil Cucumber Caipirhinia
Ingredients
2 ounces of Novo Fogo Cachaca
3/4 ounces of simple syrup
1 lime, quartered
2 thick cucumber wheels, quartered
3-4 large basil leaves
For garnish
10 thinly sliced cucumber wheels
4 large basil leaves
Directions
1. Excessively muddle lime, cucumber, basil, simple syrup and Novo Fogo Cachaca. 2. Shake and double strain all the ingredients over rocks. 3. Gently place thinly sliced cucumbers in a design around inside of the glass and garnish the top of the cocktail with basil leaves.
Jalapeño
Smoke ‘em if you Got ‘em
Ingredients
2 ounces of Crema De Mezcal
2 ounces of Ginger Cordial
1/2 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce of simple syrup
2 jalapeño wheels
For garnish
Smoked jalapeño
*Smoked jalapeño ginger orange sugar, for rim
Directions
1. Muddle jalapeño wheels. 2. Combine muddled jalapeño with Crema De Mezcal, Ginger Cordial, lime juice and simple syrup, shake and double strain over rocks. 3. Rim the glass with smoked jalapeño ginger orange sugar (see recipe below) and garnish with smoked jalapeño.
*Smoked jalapeño ginger orange sugar
Ingredients
1 pound of fresh ginger root
5 limes
2 cups of sugar
Directions for garnish
1. Juice 1 pound of fresh ginger root and boil it with the juice of 5 limes and 2 cups of sugar until all the sugar is dissolved. 2. Then take the ginger root left over from juicing and put it in the oven at low heat to dry it out. Constantly check it so it does not burn, but just becomes dry and crispy. 3. Extract the jalapeño seeds from a jalapeño and roast them in the oven on low heat until they are crisp. 4. Mix ginger root, sugar, and jalapeno seeds to taste and use either a food smoker or char a wood block and put all ingredients in a closed container to be smoked. 5. Finally grind the smoked ingredients in a food processor or spice grinder to get a powdery consistency.
Lavender
The Pasty Lady
Ingredients
2 ounces of Bulldog Gin
1 ounce of fresh lemon juice
3/4 ounces of lavender simple syrup
1 egg white
For garnish
Lavender flowers
Directions
1. Dry shake Bulldog Gin, lavender syrup, lemon juice and egg white. 2. Double strain in coupe glass. 3. Garnish with fresh lavender flowers.
Rosemary
Farmers Collins
Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces of Buffalo Trace
1/2 ounce of Carpano Bianco
3/4 ounces of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3/4 ounces of simple syrup
1/4 ounce of beet juice
Soda, for topping
For garnish
1 sprig of rosemary
Directions
1. Bruise rosemary in tin with Buffalo Trace, Carpano Bianco, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup and beet juice. 2. Shake and double strain in an iced collins glass. 3. Top with soda and garnish with rosemary sprig.
Mint
Bitter in the Garden
Ingredients
1 ounce of Fernet
1/2 ounce of Branca Menta
1/2 ounce of Amaro Averna
3/4 ounce of lemon juice
1/2 ounce of simple syrup
1 egg white
For garnish
Pieces of candied mint
Directions
1. Dry shake Fernet, Branca Menta, Amaro Averna, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white. 2. Pour into a glass and garnish with candied mint.