thanks to beautiful venus for giving the world yet another intoxicating flower. is there anything better on this earth than the smell of fresh lilac? c’mon now, before you all say: sex, chocolate, shopping or drugs…. admit that lilacs are pretty high up on the list!

i propose we all take a lesson from the zodiacal pleasure-monger, and make like a bull this may. taurus knows how to enjoy the small things in life, like fresh lilac. taurus reminds us to stop to smell the roses, and drink the lilacs too.

we all know i love flower tipples, and i’d order this in a bar, hands down, just for the sheer novelty of it. i’ve provided a pictoral guide of my lilac experience for your viewing pleasure below.

the lilac aroma is quite fragrant infused into the simple syrup, but when you mix it with the other cocktail ingredients, it somewhat loses the intensity of its scent. it’s still there, just harder to detect. but, very easy to drink!

the syrup actually turns out green. if you’re not into green, add some NATURAL food coloring, or throw a blueberry or two into the sauce pot while you’re cooking the syrup.

FRESH LILAC MARTINI:
1 part lilac syrup*
1 part vodka (feel free to use 2 oz vodka, but it will dilute the scent.)
1 part fresh squeezed lemon

shake over ice, strain into the prettiest glass you can find, and garnish with a lilac sprig. cheers!

LILAC SYRUP: equal parts lilac florets, water, sugar. simmer for 10 minutes. strain. chill.

every other summer my mum would cart my three sisters and i over to the land of the barbarians (scotland). only a taurus, capricorn or scorpio would attempt such a feat… think about it: four kids ages 1-8 / transatlantic flight / alone! mum put her bull-headed taurean determination to good use… these biannual pilgrimages were back in those pre-global warming (or cooling) days, back when temperatures were “normal,” back when it rained predictably almost day in that dismal yet beautiful land of lads, lasses, castles, kilts, scotch, sheep, golf and beaches.

mother would take us swimming because you see, it had stopped raining for 3 hours so we must take advantage. being the good little capricorn soldier i was, i dutifully submerged myself in god knows what temperature water, swam around a bit (praying i didn’t get stung by jellyfish or freeze to death), and hurried the hell out. it was well worth it, because upon completion we all received what is known as a SHIVERY BITE. remember that to a child, any type of candy is worth performing just about any kind of stunt–so this chocolate bar was as good as any reward i could hope for. my favorite was aptly named “penguin” bar, and i only wish i could get them over here!

my built-to-last mum found it most difficult to believe i was actually cold, because she was born with polar bear DNA. to document my discomfort and to garner sympathy, i would point out to her the color of my legs–which were always a decided shade of purple. and the fact that my teeth were uncontrollably chattering–well it was just too much for her to swallow. surely i was acting, she would accuse me. i assured her i was not, and demanded another SHIVERY BITE. i don’t think she ever did believe that my uncontrollable shaking was genuine–she never got used to the fact that her daughter was a half breed scot with the hardiness to prove it, or lack thereof.

peaches are ruled by venus, and so this chilly libation is a cocktail of taurus. as irony would have it, so is my scottish mum! it is in honor of ridiculous, yet glorious, memories such as these that i present to you, THE SHIVERY BITE. best enjoyed cold, and while cold…

SHIVERY BITE:
8 oz coconut milk
2 oz vanilla liqueur
16 oz frozen peaches
4 oz sherry
1/2 oz stevia
1 cup ice

place all ingredients in blender and serve cold. shiver when you drink it!

did i mention that something so allegedly delicious has to be ruled by the one and only, drum roll, venus of course. the plum is ruled by venus, and hence therein lies the connection. but this tipple is especially fitting for the bull because this sugary delicacy is so steeped in tradition–just like taurus, (known more for its traditional values than than any other sign!) let it be known that sugar plum sangria is a taurus! here’s a recipe to make sugar plum garniture befitting a libational masterpiece:

SUGAR PLUM SANGRIA:

btl plum wine
3 c plum juice
1/2 cup triple sec
1 c brandy
1/2 lime
3/4 ss
3 c chopped winter fruit

stir in pitcher, for extra flavor allow to sit overnight. pour over ice in glass and garnish with a sugar plum.

this particular bottle of violet liqueur has been sitting on my bar for over a year… talk about procrastination. yup, i’m the queen of it and so is taurus—happy birthday to all you bulls out there! perhaps my nasty habit of putting things off stems from my moon in taurus placement, and if it doesn’t at least that makes a good excuse. i have a lazy bull sitting on my moon, so leave me alone world! actually, when nick newmont did my chart for me, he told me i had a hunter’s moon… this apparently is the culprit behind my hesitance to take action. i like to wait and see how things play out, and then before ya know it, i’ve missed the damn boat!

last weekend i was out hiking with my dogs when i stumbled upon these incredibly abundant and exquisite violets—i was compelled to pick them for garniture in a tipple that called for Crème de Violette, and here we are! the violet is ruled by none other than the planet of beauty and love, venus. hence the voilet falls under the dominion of taurus. unlike scorpio, the overtly sexual sign, taurus prefers sex behind closed doors. but prefers sex none the less. (thanks to nick newmont for that insightful analogy) most of us would never know taurus was exceptionally talented in the sack, or particularly well endowed, and that they consider sex a basic need of life along with shelter, water and food. but it is true. so if you think all that cute taurus across the hall does well is drink, cook and look pretty, think again. she can hit every g spot in the human body too. provided it’s behind a beautiful, well built, antique, solid oak, closed door… cheers to taurus and making love in true taurean fashion… delectable, tantalizing, enduring, appreciative, satisfying, taurus.

AVIATION COCKTAIL
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons maraschino liqueur
1/4 ounce Crème de Violette

HONEY DO CIDER
2 oz Armagnac
2 oz Unpasteurized Apple Cider
1 1/2 Honey Syrup*
1/2 oz lemon juice
Dark Sugar

Add ingredients to ice filled shaker and shake for a good ten seconds. this drink does mix easily and separates quickly. Prepare glass by rimming with dark sugar or similar (I used Coconut Palm Sugar with Turmeric Root). Pour into cocktail glass.

*To make honey syrup, add equal parts water and honey to saucepot. Heat until the honey melts. Watch it carefully, this boils over really fast! (recipe by gwen)

thanks to SLOSHED for hosting MXMOIII.

it’s easy to fall in love with Taurus. one of my guy friends swears they’re the best sign in bed, and specifically looks to date Taurus! they are the sign most intimately connected to the earth, and those raw and primal life-force energies. think sex, think food, think comfort, think luxury, think taurus. of course each sign has it’s negatives, and for the loveable bull, that might well be the need for too much sex, too much food, too many mojitos, and too much of that deadly sin known as sloth!

the truly taurean and intoxicating bloom of the hibiscis flower belongs to none other than the goddess of sexuality, venus herself.

IN TOO DEEP (Hibiscis Water Mojito)

2 parts dark rum
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 parts freshly hibiscis water* (see la palapa recipe below)
1 part simple syrup* (use raw, organic sugar)
4 sprigs mint (keep in freezer for mojitos all winter!)
seltzer

Add rum, simple syrup, lime juice, hibiscis water and 3 sprigs mint to shaker and muddle until desired mint flavor is achieved. Strain ito glass filled with ice. Top with seltzer. Garnish with sprig of mint

* Simple Syrup is made by mixing equal amounts of sugar and water together. THERE IS NO NEED TO HEAT, just simply agitate until mixture is dissolved and store in fridge.

* HIBISCUS WATER:
2 quart non-reactive pot, such as enamel, cast iron, stainless steel (the only thing your teflon pots are for is planters—they have been found to cause cancer when heated).
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers (health food store)
2 quarts water

boil the flowers in the water for ten minutes, until they loose some of their color and they become plump and reconstituted. strain the flowers out of th edeep red liquid and sweeten to taste. allow to cool before using. to expediate the process, plunge the pot of water into an ice bath. OR simply allow to cool on it’s own and save the energy it takes to make cubes. (Drink created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser)

thanks to KALYN’S KITCHEN for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #111.

mint is ruled by none other than the planet of love and kisses, venus. you’ll want to have plenty on hand when she’s in your chart as there’s a strong likelihood you’ll be gettin lucky – keep that breath fresh! such a pleasant & fragrant aroma must belong to the intoxicating & aphrodisiacal planet of venus. VENUS, as in APHRODITE, as in APHRODISIAC.

mint is actually quite jupiterian in nature, as it’s an semi-invasive species. if you do plant mint in your garden and don’t want it to spread, plant it in a large container and bury the container in the ground. that will ensure the root system does not extend beyond the wall of the pot and take over your entire lawn. mint comes in many varieties. i have in my garden, orange flavored mint, chocolate flavored mint, apple flavored mint, and a few others i can’t remember. if you rub the leaves they will literally smell like chocolate, orange, apple, ect. it’s crazy! last week i made a mojito using the chocolate mint and you could definetely taste a subtle cocoa flavor in the drink.

a handy trick with mint is to use it as a deer repellent! yes, it’s true, deer and livestock actually hate mint. puree mint in food processor and add to water. put in spray bottle and spray on plants you wish to keep safe from the hungry mouths. and one last tip… mint (and all herbs) freeze great. throw some leaves in a ziplock in the freezer and have mojitos all winter long.

CHEATER MOJITO: mojitos are easy to make in a pitcher and involve NO MUDDLING! when you’re serving 20 at a time, who’s to know you cut a few corners?

depending on the size of your pitcher, add the following:

3 parts white rum
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part sugar
5 or so sprigs mint

allow to sit for about three hours, stirring every so often to dissolve sugar. adjust to taste. when guest arrive, simply pour this mixture over ice filled glasses and top with seltzer (and stir).

PAN FRIED TOFU WITH MINT DIPPING SAUCE: my mom used to put her mint sauce over lamb which i was never a huge fan of. it’s actually not bad over pan friend tofu…

this is another easy party dish that can be prepared beforehand and stored in the fridge. it’s always a good idea to have at least one vegan dish on hand in case one of those crazy herbivores shows up.

MINT SAUCE:

20 sprigs mint
2 cups raw organic sugar
1 cup white vinegar

puree 10 handfuls mint leaves in blender with 1/2 sugar. after mint is chopped, add another 1 1/2 cups sugar and puree some more until mint is finely chopped. then add 1 cup white vinegar and puree until mixture is fine. sauce will keep in fridge for months.

PAN FRIED TOFU:
buy organic tofu in any consistancy except silken. extra firm is best. add to pan a blend of 50% olive oil and 50% canola oil. (if you use only olive oil it will burn quickly.) cut tofu into cubes and saute until browned, stirring frequently to avoid sticking to pan. remove to paper towel (MARCAL is awesome) lined plate to absorb oil and arrange on platter. sprinkle with sea salt and store in fridge.

BON APPETIT, A VOTRE SANTE LOVER GIRLS…

thanks to THE LIQUID MUSE for hosting MXMO XX.

this stunning bloom is ruled by none other than the goddess of beauty, venus. the tea that is derived from this wondrous flower is equally as beautiful in taste. so while the main ingredient in this cocktail happens to be a taurus, we can all benefit drinking from in her lovely and intoxicating liquid, no matter what our sign. who in their right mind would say no to a deliciously wet kiss from such a divine and expert lover? so drink up!

LOVE JUICE (hibiscus margarita)

1 1/2 silver tequila
1 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz triple sec, cointreau or patron citron
1/2 oz hibiscis water*
chile-piquin salt*

1. Prepare the Simple Syrup (Recipe Follows)
2. Prepare the hibiscus water ( Recipe Follows)
3. Mix equal parts kosher salt and chile piquin and place on a small round plate about 5.5 inches in diameter
4. Cut one Lime in half and Squeeze out the juice.
5. Cut another lime into 5 slices.
6. Using one piece of the cut lime rub the citrus around the rim of the glass and then gently rim the glass with the prepared chile-salt.
7. Add all ingredients except the lime juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until frothy and ice cold. Strain into chile-piquín rimmed glass. Serve straight up or on the rocks.

HIBISCUS WATER:

2 quart non-reactive pot, such as enamel or stainless stell
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers (health food store)
2 quarts water

boil the flowers in the water for ten minutes, until they loose some of their color and they become plump and reconstituted. strain the flowers out of th edeep red liquid and sweeten to taste. allow to cool before using. to expediate the process, plunge the pot of water into an ice bath.

CHILE-PIQUIN SALT
*chile piquin is available at mexican markets and specialty stores. it is very spicy so put only enough in to lightly color the salt.

recipe is adapted from LA PALAPA’S hibiscus marg.

The walls of my friend jen’s apartment are cocoa brown, and her complimentary minimalist furnishings all match in various shades of brown. Jen’s brownie girl eyes are offset by her gorgeous bronze skin – a backdrop for the long curly tendrils of bark brown hair that cascade over it. today she wore a brown striped dress with a cropped brown jacket over it. i can’t remember her shoes, but i bet they were brown! if jen were a food, it would be chocolate. Even though she’s a Cancer, the cocoa bean is ruled by Venus and hence belongs to Taurus. One day i paid my friend a visit and offered to make cocktails. Luckily, i had my boston shaker in the car with me – all i needed was ingredients. But jen had decorated her fridge with the same minimalist aesthetic as her apartment, and it was quite bare. No cream. No lemons. No soda (except for half a can of diet coke). No juice. Even the dozen eggs which i could have used for froth, were bad. (you can tell this, if they float in water). Of course the girl had all the essentials… vodka, tequila, scotch, rum in every flavour… What to do? Finally i spied a bowl of leftover icing she’d whipped up last week for a batch of brownies she made. Against her panicked warnings not to eat it for fear it had gone off, i dug my spoon in there anyway, and tasted heaven. Now this i can work with! And so a chocolate martini, the likes of which i’ve never tasted before, was created. If i were to have sex with jen, it would surly feel like this drink tastes.

SEX WITH JEN:
2 oz vodka
4 tbsp sinful chocolate icing

place in stirring glass filled with ice and shake for a good minute. NOTE: i like chocolate sludge. if you do too, increase the amount of icing you use.

SINFUL CHOCOLATE ICING:
2 1/2 (1 oz.) sq. unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered)
3 tablespoons hot water
1 egg (free range/organic, but of course)
l/3 cup margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt chocolate and remove from heat. With electric mixer, blend in sugar and water. Beat in egg, then margarine and vanilla. Frosting may be thin at this point so place bowl in refrigerator until it is spreading consistency.

(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

NOTE: vegans can leave out the egg for a still rather good frosting, or follow recipe below:

* 1 c sugar
* 6 tbl corn starch
* 4 tbl cocoa
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 tbl oil
* 1 c water
* 1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa in a medium sauce pan. Whisk in the water. Heat over medium until it gets thick and starts to boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes. (Make sure you don’t boil too long, or it will set like taffy.) Remove from heat and stir in oil and vanilla. VIA YARINARETH

Nicholas Culpeper found the violet to be ruled by Venus and belong to TAURUS. It actually belongs to LIBRA as well, as Venus is also the ruler of that sign.

VIOLET FLEURTINI:

2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz Godiva white chocolate liquor
1 oz violet syrup
garnish: violet sugar

Prepare cocktail glass by rimming in violet sugar (see below). To rim a glass, wipe lemon wedge around top and roll in plate of violet sugar. Place in fridge and allow rim to harden.

Add vodka, Godiva and violet syrup to ice filled shaker and shake for ten seconds. Pour into prepared glass and enjoy.

***VIOLET SUGAR
Pull the petals off as many violets as you can find. Here in New York, they usually bloom early May. Add 1/2 cup of violet petals to food processor with 1/2 cup sugar. Pulse five times briefly, and add another 1/2 cup sugar. Puree for 1 minute until flowers are disintegrated and sugar takes on a purple hue.

***VIOLET SYRUP
First, make violet sugar*. Then, add 1 cup violet sugar to saucepot (not teflon) with 2 cups water. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 oz vodka and allow to cool.

Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser

SEE ALSO: SHRINKING VIOLET and VIOLET BLACKBERRY TIRAMISU.