i still cannot believe that people patronize BP gas after the atrocities they so knowingly committed. yes, BP planned the gulf spill, they intentionally tapped into an under water volcano of sorts and knew exactly what to do to stop the leak. research it. you’ll be amazed. now to tie in the astrology theme here, let it be known that volcanoes are ruled by mars. this unfortunate event occurred in aries (april 20), a sign ruled by mars. hence, please don’t take this negatively… but the SPILLTINI is an aries. may we all posses that kind of raw power, the one that lives within the soul of every aries. volcanic arien power—gimme some!

but no more! i know i sound like a gospel preaching minister, but seriously, divine intervention is saving our collective asses. while there are still shrimp being born without eyes from the spill : ( there is also a shockingly huge amount of positive news from scientists studying the area. check it out here.

we are very lucky as a species, we humans. we have the entire universe on our team! so, please, give thanks to all the unseen souls, guardian angels, benevolent aliens, and crusading humans who are assisting us in our climb to the new earth. i suggest perhaps drinking a SPILLTINI while you do so:

SPILLTINI

1 oz Oil Infused Vodka*
1 oz Seawater Simple Syrup*
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon
1 Star Fish Garnish

***Rim martini glass with beach sand brown sugar.
***Shake vodka, syrup and lemon over ice.
***Adjust to taste. Strain into glass.
***Float star fish anise for garnish.

SAND RIMMED GLASS: Wet lip of glass with lemon wedge. Rotate lip of the glass in sugar.

OIL VODKA INFUSION: Dump 3 tbsp dried elderberries 4 cups vodka. (find at health food store) Allow to infuse for one week. Strain and store for use. Use immediately, or allow to sit longer for a stronger elderberry

SEAWATER SIMPLE SYRUP: Equal parts brown sugar and water. Simmer on stove and store in fridge.

Belly up or Bottoms up? The choice is ours to make!

this past holiday i created the cocktails for UNDER THE STARS, an astrology-themed event with famed astrologer SUSAN MILLER and celebrity chef TODD ENGLISH. both of whom, seem to be nice people, which i am glad to report : ) Todd’s head chef was even nice… he shared this culinary tip with me: “gwen, you should toast your spices to bring out the flavor before cooking with them!” oh, says me. DUH, thanks mike the scorpio : ) i have tested this since, and it really does help immensely. SUSAN gave a speech on what 2012 will bring (awesomeness for every sign) and TODD served 4 element-inspired apps, while promoting his latest book. there was a pop-up zodiac shop too, in which IZ glassware was featured. it was a fun night, and hey, now i can say that i’ve been interviewed by the wall street journal. that was cool! read all about it on heydoyou.com.

as promised, i’m putting all the recipes from UNDER THE STARS online, so now all you zodiac junkies can drink your very own sign for some extra christmas cheer this year!

check out IZ the pop-up shop: WHAT’S YOUR SIGN WINES and BAROSCOPE SHOTS and MARRIAGE SIGN SHOTS and BACHELORETTE SHOTS below.

The work of Nicholas Culpeper, the father of western herbalism, serves as a guide when i create astrology-themed drinks. His work may still be referred to in online classes at culinary arts schools today. Culpeper’s books are still in print, 300 years after he wrote detailed descriptions of which plants belong to which signs and how to use them medicinally. In Medieval Herbal Astrology, plants have Zodiac signs, just like people. In the Medieval times only seven planets had been discovered as opposed to nine today. Therefore, since these drinks are based on Medieval Herbal Astrology, the ancient ruling planet for each sign is referenced.

“under the stars” was sponsored by TYKU, perrier and jim beam, the recipes call for these fine products. cheers!

Aries’ Cocktail features CRANBERRY as its star ingredient! Aries is ruled by Mars: The scarlet, fiery, hot planet. Flavors that are very spicy or very tart are often ruled by Mars. The cranberry’s bright crimson color, underscored by its tangy flavor certainly betrays its allegiance to the red planet, and is hence an Aries.

ARIES XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz sochu, 2 oz cranberry syrup, 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice, perrier
(shake over ice and strain pour into an ice packed collins glass. Top with Perrier. Garnish with a floating fresh cranberry)

CRANBERRY SPICE SYRUP:
2 c white sugar, 3 c water, 1 c fresh cranberries, peel of half a small orange
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Taurus’ Cocktail features PEPPERMINT as its star ingredient! If its divinely fragrant and tantalizingly tasty, you can bet its ruled by Venus. This beautiful planet rules all fruit, herbs and flowers that are particularly fragrant. Hence, mint falls under the dominion of Venus and may be identified as a Taurus.

TAURUS XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz sochu, 1 oz peppermint syrup, 1 oz lemon juice
(served up with a mini candy cane garnish)

PEPPERMINT MINT SYRUP:
3 c white sugar, 2 c water, 1 tsp peppermint extract
(heat until dissolved)

Gemini’s Cocktail features HAZELNUT as its star ingredient! Culpeper lists the hazelnut under Mercury. The tree’s delicate leaves & flowers are indicative of this planet’s fleeting & wispy qualities. After all, Mercury is the fastest orbiting planet in our solar system. hazelnut is a Gemini.

GEMINI XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz sochu, 1 oz hazelnut cocoa syrup, 1 oz creamer
(served up with a few pcs of floating chopped hazelnut garnish)

HAZELNUT COCOA SYRUP:
1 c “NUTELLA” spread,2 c water
(heat lightly and whisk until blended)

Cancer’s Cocktail features EGG as its star ingredient! The egg is ruled by the Moon, as is Cancer. They share the traits of a hard outer shell and a soft, pale, fleshy inside. Cancer is known for its innate creativity, along with a desire to “nest.” What symbolizes those two qualities more than the egg?

CANCER XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz whiskey, 1 oz ‘nog anise syrup, 1 oz creamer
(served up with a floating star anise)

‘NOG ANISE SYRUP:
1 c brown sugar, 1 ½ c water, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 star anise, 4 tsp chopped, fresh ginger, 3 tsp vanilla extract, 10 cardamom pods
(toast spices over medium low in pan first. then simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Leo’s Cocktail features CLEMENTINE as its star ingredient! The bright, round, orange-colored, life-giving star of our solar system, the Sun, rules over Leo. Because the clementine bears a heavy physical resemblance to the sun, it is given ruler ship under it. The clementine is a Leo.

LEO XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz sochu, 1 oz clementine rosemary syrup, 1 1/2 oz lemon juice
(served over ice topped with Perrier. Garnish with a slice of clementine)

CLEMENTINE ROSEMARY SYRUP:
2 chopped clementines, ¼ c chopped fresh rosemary, 2 c white sugar, 2 c water
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Virgo’s Cocktail features POMEGRANATE as its star ingredient! The pomegranate is ruled by Mercury due to its astringent qualities. Mercury is the fleet-footed planet and therefore holds ownership over anything that is fast-binding and drying in nature. That is why the pomegranate is a Virgo.

VIRGO XMAS TIPPLE:
1 oz sochu, 1 oz tyku liqueur, 1 1/2 oz pomegranate grenadine, 1/2 oz lemon juice
(serve up and garnish with 3 floating pomegranate seeds)

POMEGRANATE GRENADINE:
Equal parts 100% pomegranate juice and water
(simmer for 20-30 minutes)

Libra’s Cocktail features SUGAR PLUM as its star ingredient! Libra is ruled by the Venus, the beautiful planet. Venus holds dominion over things that are sugary sweet, succulent, attractive and delectable in nature. A perfectly ripe, juicy plum would certainly fall under ruler ship of Venus, and may be called a Libra.

LIBRA XMAS TIPPLE:
1 oz sochu, 1 oz tyku liqueur, 1 oz plum syrup, 1 oz lemon juice
(serve up and garnish with a sugar rim)

SUGAR PLUM SYRUP:
2 c white sugar, 3 c water, 2-3 chopped fresh plums
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Scorpio’s Cocktail features CLOVE as its star ingredient! The incredibly pungent and powerful clove is ruled by none other than what many refer to as the planet of war, Mars. Really, it is the planet of passion and the strength to defend and protect. In fact, clove is so strong it can be used to defeat Cancer. Today, Scorpio is considered co-ruled by Mars and Pluto.

SCORPIO XMAS TIPPLE:
1 oz sochu, 1 oz sake, 1 oz lemon juice, 1 oz clove chili syrup, perrier
(served over ice, topped with perrier, garnished with a floating clove and straw)

CLOVE CHILI SYRUP:
1 c white sugar, 3 c water, 2-3 pinches cloves, 1 small handful or approx 20 dried chili arbols
(toast chilis and clove over medium low in pan first. simmer for 15-20 minutes and strain)

Sagittarius’ Cocktail features FIG as its star ingredient The vast number of seeds in a fig makes it a fruit ruled by Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. This huge planet is the owner of all things Ubiquitous, prolific, abundant and colossal in nature. This is why the fig is listed as a Sagittarius.

SAGITTARIUS XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz whiskey, 1 ¼ oz fig syrup, ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
(shake over ice and strain into glass. Garnish with a dried fig slice)

FIG SYRUP:
1 c fresh chopped figs, 1 c white sugar, 2 c water
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Capricorn’s Cocktail features MOLASSES as its star ingredient! Discarded as a by-product, molasses is the almost black, densely thick, mildly bittersweet syrup that is born from the dregs of the sugar cane plant. Saturn symbolizes frugality, austerity and scarcity. Molasses is ruled by Saturn due to the nature of its genesis.

CAPRICORN XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz whiskey, 1 oz gingerbread syrup, 1 oz creamer
(served up with a slice of candied ginger garnish)

GINGERBREAD SYRUP: 2 c brown sugar, 2 c water, 1 c molasses, 5 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Aquarius’ Cocktail features CEDAR as its star ingredient! Saturn is the slowest moving planet, symbolizing longevity and resilience. Plants ruled by this constant planet are extremely hardy in nature–take for example the famously pest and weather-resistant cedar tree. Today Aquarius is considered co-ruled by Saturn and Uranus. That’s why cedar is an Aquarius.

AQUARIUS XMAS TIPPLE:
1 oz sochu, 1 oz sake, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 1 oz cedar syrup
(served up with a sugar rim)

CEDAR TIP SYRUP:
2 c white sugar, 2 c water, 1 c dried cedar tip needles
(toast cedar over medium low in pan first. simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

Pisces’ Cocktail features CHESTNUT as its star ingredient! The chestnut tree’s diameter can be as great as 17 feet, which epitomizes the grandiose qualities of the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. Today, Pisces is considered co-ruled by Jupiter and the more recently discovered Neptune. The chestnut is a Pisces and sheer size alone is what determines that.

PISCES XMAS TIPPLE:
2 oz whiskey, 1 oz chestnut syrup, 1 oz creamer
(served up a chestnut slice garnish)

CHESTNUT SYRUP:
2 c white sugar, 2 c water, 1 c chopped and peeled roasted chestnuts
(simmer for 20-30 minutes and strain)

ROAST CHESTNUT GARNISH:
Slice each nut prior to baking with a knife, but try not to penetrate flesh. Then it will be easier to slice them for garniature.

this could quite possibly be the single most disgusting concoction i have ever come across, barring anything meat-infused of course. thanks stevie B for bringing it to my attention. i think. the BLOOD SHOOTER is based on the famous CEMENT MIXER shot, which is literally known for its blood CURDLING qualities (lime juice + baileys = ew). aries rules the brain and head area–this would be their libation–frankly i can’t think of a better astro match. happy halloween!

BLOODY BRAIN SHOOTER
Channel your inner mad scientist with this Bloody Brain Shooter. Mixing acidic lime juice and Irish cream causes the cream to curdle, creating brain-like strands in the shot.

1 1/4 oz. strawberry vodka such as Stoli
1/8 oz. Rose’s lime juice
3/4 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream
Splash of grenadine

Chill vodka for better smoothness. Add vodka and lime juice to a shaker, shake and strain into a shot glass. Using a straw, dip some Bailey’s Irish Cream into the shot. Once you submerge the straw into the Bailey’s put your finger on top of the straw to hold the Bailey’s in the straw. Dip the straw tip into the vodka and slowly release your top finger. The Bailey’s will curdle a little bit due to the lime juice and you should be able to make strands of Bailey’s.

Repeat the straw/Bailey’s process to build a “brain” in the shot glass. Add a splash of grenadine to the concoction to add the ‘blood’ to the mix. Down the hatch as a shot.

VIA FOLKINZ VIA FINE LIVING

the caffeine that is present in all varieties of tea, with the exception of herbal, is due to a martian presence. yes, the alien’s first planted tea several thousand years ago on planet earth. j/k…

which planet is always full of fight? mars! caffeine is a martian quality, it will keep you going all night long… just like the influence of mars keeps aries going all life long. this sign is always on the go, and always looking for a, shall we say, challenge? the energizer bunny should really be an energizer ram.

so, long story short, tea is an aries. (unlike coffee, who due to it’s dark color is ruled by saturn, and partly by aries).

this month’s MIXOLOGY MONDAY theme is bourbon… i found this recipe over at COOKS.com and it’s delic!

BOURBON FREEZE

2 black tea bags
1 c boiling water
1 c raw sugar
3 1/2 c. water or ice
6 oz fresh squeezed orange juice
6 oz bourbon

(if you are in a hurry, just substitute a couple trays of ice in place of the water and serve immediately).

thanks to SCOFFLAW DEN for hosting MIXOLOGY MONDAY.

well, it’s that time of year again… time to get your wicker on. now if you’re wondering, like a curious kaiser, where i got the peaches… i’ll tell you – from my freezer! here in new york, they are definitely not in season. isn’t electricity wonderful!? i bought myself a little freezer last summer and am still working my way through all the stuff i threw in there. but you should be able to find frozen peaches at any gourmet grocer.

ginger is ruled by aries. and aries does nothing gingerly. they will take unhealthy amounts of uncalculated risks. for they lack that healthy does of fear the rest of us tend to have. i’m jealous! if ever a piece of raw ginger has bitten your tongue, you’ll agree there is nothing gingerly about ginger either.

GINGERLY BUT NOT

5 oz pureed peach*
ginger syrup*
brandy
fresh squeezed lemon juice
seltzer

add peach puree, ginger syrup, brandy to ice filled shaker and toss
once. pour contents into tall glass and top with seltzer. stir and
garnish with a slice of peach.

GINGER SYRUP:
1 cup water
1/2 cup raw sugar
5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh ginger
***place water, sugar, and ginger in small saucepan. Simmer for 15
minutes and remove from heat. when cool, place in storage bottle,
adding a splash of vodka and a drop of lemon oil to preserve (if you
have them, if not that’s fine).

PEACH PUREE:
5 fresh peaches
1 lemon
***peel and stone the peaches and place in blender along with the
juice of one lemon. puree until smooth. this mixture can actually be
frozen for later use.

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.

an ode to aries…. while the espresso bean appears saturnine (dark) in color, it’s life force is truly arien in nature. and that life force is the same one we start jonesing for around 4 pm every weekday. yes, caffeine is ruled by mars and is an aries. did you know that before coffee is roasted to that beautiful capricornian brown color it is a bright martian red? perhaps we can say that decaffeinated coffee belongs to capricorn and regular coffee belongs to aries? or perhaps i am complicating things…

sometimes we need a cup of joe to kick us into high gear, like sometimes we need a kick from aries to get our ass going. you see, aries lives in a permanent state of high gear. they always drive in the fast lane. and they should have a “DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE” sign stapled to their forehead. to be blunt, ridin’ shotgun with aries is not for the faint of heart. this hot-headed, hard-wired ram girl is one helluva a go-gettin’, fun-lovin’, man-eatin’, shot-slammin’ chick, who’s always on the prowl for a good drink and an even better time. sszzz…

1 oz extra fine sugar (if you don’t have this, granulated sugar will suffice)
1 1/2 oz cachaca
1 oz organic espresso (chilled)

combine lime and sugar into wide-bottomed glass and muddle until sugar is paste-like. fill glass with ice and add cachaca and espresso to mixture. stir and serve. (cocktail by gwen)

aries is the ultimate diamond in the rough. they are no frills get to the point or they’re gone you have 30 seconds to get it out talk fast. their heart is always made of gold and their undying optimism is always charming. if you can look past their blunt remarks, their impatient demeanor and their headstrong aggression, you will find they are the most adorable babies of the zodiac. true diamonds hidden under a mask of fired, jagged, blackened coal. gotta love those hot headed arian babes. kind of like mars’ vinegar. too hot to handle on it’s own, this sour, bitter flavor needs to be tamed before imbibed. and what better to tame the wild child vinegar than venus’ sweet sugar?

LIBERTINE

2 oz freshly juiced pear nectar
2 oz sake
1/2 oz balsamic syrup
2 drops bitters
Garnish: Pear slice

***to make balsamic syrup: Simmer 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, 1 cup balsamic vinegar for twenty minutes. pour into final storage container, adding approx. 1 oz vodka to aid in preservation.

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with pear slice. (Cocktail by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser, Photo by Mary Claire Miraldi)

this recipe for BALSAMIC SYRUP was inspired by the amazing book, THE ART OF THE BAR, by jeff hollinger & rob schwartz. it’s another MUST have.

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