the cocktailian ingredient, bitters, is bitterly martian in nature. this herbal tonic is so intense that a few drops are usually all that’s called for in a recipe. just like the ram’s headstrong personality, the flavor is that powerful and strong. funny isn’t it, that the word sheepish never, ever describes the numero uno sheep - aries? of all the brands of bitters (of which there are many) agnostura bitters is the most commonly found. however, i recommend checking out FEE BROTHERS for their wide breadth of flavour selection. or, you can even make your own. ironically - again - aries is one sign that rarely get bitter about life. they are eternally optimistic and forever positive. that’s one of the many qualities that makes them so alluring and fun to party with. the ultimate heartbreaker - aries is usually the one to end the relationship and not the other way around. it’s their lust victim that ends up feeling bitter. several aries boyfriends and bittersweet endings later, i can attest to that.

HEADY AFFAIR (BITTER JASMINE MARTEANI)
1 oz gin
1 1/2 oz jasmine tea*
1 oz honey syrup*
1/3 oz fresh lemon juice
3-5 drops agnostura bitters

note: honey syrup tends to separate when mixed in a cocktail, so drink up right away!

*to brew jasmine tea, make an extra strong cup by adding three teabags. if you wish to use immediately, plunge in bowl of ice water after steeping.

* to make honey syrup, bring 1 cup water to simmer and remove from heat. add 1/2 cup honey and stir until dissolved. add splash vodka to preserve and store in fridge.

basil, sweet basil. i know i should be saying, basil, sort of spicy basil… but to me, it’s soft bite is sweet. nicholas culpeper would say that because i have a significant amount of martian energy in my chart, i am irresistibly drawn to spicy foods. my rising sign is scorpio, which is co-ruled by mars and pluto. so, that explains that. aries however, is ruled by one planet and one planet alone - mars. passion, the red-hot burning and blind kind, is characteristic of mars, and often felt by the loveable, yet hyperactive and headstrong ram. all my ex’s are aries. and i hate to say it, but boy did they whip me good. going forward, no more aries for me! so add some spice to your life, without necessarily adding a crazy ram to your life… and whip up a basil cocktail.

THE BURN
2 oz pisco
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 raw organic sugar
1 oz mineral water
5 basil leaves
3 strawberries
pinch black pepper

muddle strawberries, basil, pepper, lemon and sugar in mixing glass until well macerated. add pisco and water. shake with ice for ten seconds and strain into cocktail glass. garnish with basil leaf, or for the true aries, rim with black pepper.

try matt’s STRAWBERRY BASIL MARTINI

you tell summer is dwindling because i’ve scrambled to use flowers in the last few posts. i haven’t fulfilled my long list of fifty garden cocktails to make. at least i know what my plans are for next summer!

flor picante is spanish for spicy flower, which is just what the nasturtium is. part of the pepper family, it’s flower and leaves actually leave a subtle tingle on your lips. grand in a salad - both for flavor and appearance. and the best part, they are SO easy to grow. throw some seeds in a container garden next spring. they love to crawl, so if you can arrange to have the tendrils cascade down a wall, even better.

i tried making sugar syrup out of the petals last summer. it ended up tasting kinda burned and i believe this is due to it’s energy being full of fire, like it’s arien brethren. and even with six cups of sugar and a gallon of water, you still can’t dampen that flame! the nasturtium does however, make for a refreshingly tasty margerita.

FLOR PICANTE (nasturtium margarita)

2 parts nasturtium infused tequila
1/2 part cointreau
1/2 part simple syrup
1/2 part fresh squeezed lime juice
3 large nasturtium leaves
nasturtium flowers

muddle nasturtium leaves with lime juice and simple syrup until leaves are pulverized. add cointreau and tequila and shake until container feels cold. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with a nasturtium flower.

*Nasturtium Infused Tequila: Shred approx 20 nasturtium leaves into approx 4 cups tequila in airtight container. Allow to sit for approx one to three weeks in a dark location. Strain through coffee filter into a final storage container.

*Simple Syrup: Place two cups water and one cup sugar in airtight container and shake vigorously. Shake every twenty minutes until sugar is dissolved. Store in fridge.

if you wish, you can also make NASTURTIUM FLAVORED SALT to rim your glass with. Remove approx 15 nasturtium petals from heads. Place 1/2 cup coarse grain kosher salt into food processor with nasturtium petals. Blend until petals have disintegrated and the salt absorbs the pigment from the petals.

(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

i was lucky enough to recieve a bottle of FRIDA KAHLO tequila from the spirit fairy, and what a treat! it’s smooth with a subtly sweet flavor and would do well in a margarita alone, or infused in the FLOR PICANTE. i can’t wait until i finish the bottle off, because then i get to “repurpose” it and store my simple syrup in something perty. hand blown in mexico, the bottle in itself is a work of art that would make frida proud.
thanks to COFFEE AND VANILLA for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING

All though Culpeper classified the Redcurrant as a fruit of Venus, Intoxicated Zodiac is taking some astrological creative cocktail license here. The redcurrant is now hereby proclaimed the fall under the dominion of Mars. Red planet… red berry. But c’mon now… It’s not that simple! There’s also the matter of taste, and the redcurrant’s sour-induced wince will have you reaching for the sugar before you can say mercy. However, it must be noted that redcurrants do possess the capacity of tasting sweet. But in my North American climate they never ripen to anything more than pleasantly tart.

REDCURRANT RIESLING

2 handfuls of redcurrants
1 oz sugar (hopefully organic)
2 drops bitters
Chilled Riesling

Into goblet add redcurrants, sugar and bitters. Muddle and top with Riesling. (Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser)

Rhubarb is a fruity vegetable. Seems no one can agree as to which class of produce it belongs! All though it’s stalk is commonly used in the way many other fruits are used–for pies and sauces–it actually is a veggie. One thing is certain though, and that is that it belongs to the red planet of Mars. This is due of course to its scarlet red hue, and its awfully sharp taste. Try eating one of these raw… its pure vegan torture : ) However, once you boil it down to a jam or sauce, and blend in some “save the day sugar”, it’s DELIC… But since we are talking about Aries here, watch the sugar intake and mix on the side of less. The feisty ram is high on life and doesn’t need a sugar crutch to keep her going. Unless she’s in the wee hours of late night partying, when Aries will probably be the only one still standing and could quite use the external boost! Of rhubarb, Nicholas Culpepar advises “grinding the root into a powder and mixing it with red wine to cure blood clots.” Who needs a doctor when you have medieval medicine?!

INGREDIENTS:
- 2 oz gin
- 3 oz simple syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tbs rhubarb jam*
- bitter lemon
- 1 stalk rhubarb

DIRECTIONS:
Mix gin, simple syrup, lemon juice and jam in shaker without ice. Shake for ten seconds and pour all of the mixture into ice filled glass. Leave enough room for a nice topping of Bitter Lemon. Stir with a stalk of rhubarb for garnish and enjoy.
(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

the ONLY place i’ve found that makes a TRUE RHUBARB JAM is MOUNTAIN FRUIT in CA. (1-800-401-9588) or purchase online. You will have some difficulty finding rhubarb jam alone. The world feels compelled to add strawberries, rose, ginger, or god knows what to it! You can use any variation of rhubarb jam and still have a delicious cocktail. I happen to love the taste of unadulterated rhubarb. if you feel adventurous, try making your own rhubarb jam using the recipe below from PlanTea.com:

RHUBARB JAM
- 2 pounds chopped, raw rhubarb
- 8 3-inch strips lemon peel, about 1/4-inch wide (no white pulp, just yellow peel)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2-1/2 cups sugar
Combine rhubarb, lemon peel and water in a heavy, non-aluminum 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes. Stir often. Turn up the heat and begin adding sugar 1/2 cup at a time, waiting for the liquid to return to the boil before adding more. continue cooking over a high heat, stirring constantly. If the jam begins to splatter, turn the heat down slightly. Cook and stir until the jam thickens and reduces to about 3 cups (about 20 minutes).

Remove from heat and fill hot, sterilized 1/2-pint jars to within 1/8-inch of the top. Wipe rims clean, attach new lids and screw caps on tightly. Invert jars to the count of “5″ or process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Makes 3 cups. (Note: Make only single batches. Don’t try to double or triple the amount).

(Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser)

ALSO TRY: RHUBARB CRUMBLE
(SOY WHIPPED CREAM FOR VEGANS MAKING ABOVE RECIPE )