virgo’s thick plumes of fragrant lemongrass are mercurial in nature. while people ruled by mercury have a reputation of untouchability, plants ruled by this planet are known for their unphotographability! their fine, whispy leaves just won’t hold still for the camera. mercury is the also aloof planet that lends this quality to citronella bug repellent. that smell is lemongrass, and it keeps the bugs far, far away. hard to have, hard to shoot, hard to please—that’s virgo in a nutshell. they are demanding… but in a good way, of course. that perfectionistic quality is what drove them to become the richest sign of the zodiac. yup, the top 12% of billionaires are virgos! (unsurprisingly, sagittarius the party animal came in last). well if i didn’t before, i certainly do now… wish i were a virgo : )

UNTOUCHABLE

1 1/2 oz coconut water
2 oz lemongrass syrup*
2 oz white rum
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

*chop 2 stalks lemon grass and simmer with 2 cups organic sugar and 1 cup water for 20 minutes. strain, add splash of vodka, and store in fridge.

CREDIT

thanks to COFFEE AND VANILLA for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING

the purest of them all can get down and dirty like the rest of us. virgo, the archangel of the zodiac, is a bearer of truth and a practitioner in sanctity. it’s not easy perching atop that cold marble pedestal. sometimes it topples and the virgin is deflowered. but even when falling from that lofty height, she will glide ever so gently. like a feather from her wing sailing gracefully to the floor. the virgin’s usually got that bodice laced up pretty damn tight, but every now and then it rips! by accident of course, virgo (wink : )

the kumquat belongs to mercury, which is a planet of constriction. this is so because the size of the kumquat is essentially that of a constricted orange. due to it’s bright orange color, the kumquat is co-ruled by the sun.

BODICE RIPPER (kumquat pomegranite caipirinha)

2 oz cachaca
5 kumquats
2 tbs raw organic sugar
2 small handfuls pomegranate seeds

muddle all of the above in mixing glass. add cachaca and shake for ten seconds. pour entire contents into rocks glass.

recipe adapted from LEBLON’S kumquat-ginger caipirinha

thanks to NAMI NAMI for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #106.

if any sign is going to drink a carrot juice cocktail, it will be virgo. that said, however, i do know a mildly overweight virgo… so bear in mind that other aspects in a person’s chart impact the effect of one’s sun sign on personality. but for the most part i think they’re a pretty healthy bunch. dietary nazi madonna has virgo rising, and adonis tom ford is a virgo who’s quoted to have said when his pants get too tight he simply stops eating. damn, why can’t i have that kind of will power?

imbibing in this pleasurable apertif will not only wet your appetite, but get you a good portion of your daily vitamins, and make you see better too. why, you can just taste the healthyness as you drink your vegtables - just like mom told you to! which brings us to our topic at hand, WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING, held every week for the last two years. creator, kalyn has planned a celebratory event to commemorate it’s second birthday by asking that we use BOTH a herb and a VEGGIE in our entries. (normally entrants are required to use one herb, veggie or fruit in their dish.) so, here’s to you kalyn, and WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING’S continued success - cheers to the CARROT TOP.

the CARROT TOP was inspired by a new york times’ tipple, THE DILLETTANTE, created by SERENA BASS, who proclaimed she was tired of serving fruity drinks. well, rebellion is delicious! the base spirit of her creation is HERB’S DILL VODKA, which belongs to virgo. plants ruled by mercury, and hence virgo, typically have a feathery ethereal quality to them, like the wings of the angels they represent. virgo is the sign of angelic purity, clarity of thought and unadulterated anything. being so good all the times gotta be hard work… i think virgo needs to chill out and get a little dazed and confused, don’t you? time for several CARROT TOP cocktails…

RED HEAD
1 1/2 oz dill infused vodka or HERB’S DILL VODKA*
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh carrot juice
1/2 cup REED’S EXTRA GINGER BREW ginger ale (adapted from sprite; i’ve got a small hatred for commercial soft drinks. something about high fructose corn syrup and sodium benzoate i guess.)

add all ingredients to ice filled shaker and shake away for a good ten seconds. pour over ice filled collins glass and garnish with a sprig of dill.

place three handfuls fresh dill in 750 ml bottle of vodka. allow to infuse for a week in a dark location, agitating daily. strain and use.

thanks to KALYN’S KITCHEN for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #104.

in honor of FARM AID, held today in New York City, i mixed a cocktail using cilantro purchased from my local farmer’s market, blooming hill farm. Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews have been involved with this annual event for years - playing before sold out shows to benefit small farmers in the US. true, it’s nice to hear these icons play, but it’s a real shame they have to do this. it wouldn’t be necessary for them to go raise money to keep small farms going if the US government would pony up all ready and give aid to family-run farms. instead the government gives grants and monies to large corporate farms. i wonder, exactly HOW the did our government get so screwed up? like willie says, farms are the bottom rung of our economic ladder… so then why, are they getting the shaft? it should be the opposite! small local independent farms grow a variety of crops, right next to each other. this is very good for the soil, and the plants. i believe it’s called BIODIVERSITY. this naturally keeps the bad critters away. when you start growing acres upon acres of the same exact crop, season after season, that’s a problem. the bugs learn where the stuff they like to eat it is located, the soil gets the same nutrients, and hence lacks a lot of other nutrients. it’s not good for the biosystem. that’s why the government is bringing in the GMO (BAD) crops to fight off the bugs! if they planted small, diverse crops in rotation, they wouldn’t have nearly the problem they do with insects. it’s a vicious cycle and we’ve got to break out of it. find a grocery store that purchases produce from a nearby grower, and support them. they’re out there - you just have to do a little bit of research to find them.

now i’m sure you’re just DYING to know which sign CILANTRO belongs to! well, it’s ruled by mercury, and hence it belongs to VIRGO. it’s feathery leaves and cutting flavour indicate it’s allegance to the planet of speed (not the drug, the velocity). the same quality which gives CILANTRO it’s sharp flavor, also gives VIRGO her sharp mind. for virgo is the sign of the processor of analytic truths. i wonder if the first computer ever invented was born under the sign of virgo, for that is how the mind of this creature works. this virgin (not!) will cooly sit and sip her celestial cilantro cocktail, assessing the taste of each ingredient as it settles on her unadulterated palette. and more than likely, the purest of them all will give it her blessing.

did you miss willie play today? no worries! catch him doing another bennie in times square, this time for his new BIODIESAL collaboration with daryl hannah & woody Harrelson. but act fast, the gig is TONIGHT (sept. 10th)! VIA ECORAZZI & SUSTAINABLE BIODIESEL ALLLIANCE.

this recipe is one of many cocktail gems in the book HIP SIPS by Lucy Brennan and Carolyn Burleigh. (this cocktail is listed as the AD LIB). this is a must buy, and you can do that through kittykind’s amazon to give them a percentage donation.

CELESTIAL CILANTRO
5-7 fresh cilantro leaves (i increased this to 18 leaves)
2 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup* (i increased this to 1 1/2 oz)

muddle cilantro with cocktail ice cubes. note, most peeps don’t have access to these miniature cubes. i don’t. so, instead, muddle the cilantro with the vodka. after cilantro is macerated, add the remainder of ingredients and shake in ice filled mixing glass. strain into lollipop* rimmed glass.

*SIMPLE SYRUP is a mixture of half sugar (raw is best) and half water. stir or shake until mixture dissolves completely and store in fridge.

*LOLLIPOP RIM as defined in HIP SIPS:
works best in a large (10 oz) glass. put the sugar in a moderately deep, wide-mouthed bowl. put sugar (i use raw, organic) in a deep, wide bowl. make a deep slice down the center flesh of a lemon. place the slice on the rim of the glass and holding the glass upside down, rotate the wedge around the glass to coat the rim with citrus juice. when you are finished, insert a quarter of the lip of the glass about 2 inches into the sugar. quickly spin the stem to coat the entire trim with sugar. lift the glass from the sugar, holding the cup upside down, and gently tap the bottom of the glass to remove any excess sugar.

thanks to DAILY UNADVENTURES IN COOKING for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #100.

VIA ECORAZZI
(photo credit TOP 40 CHARTS.COM)

The planet of Mercury rules the mulberry. So states Nicholas Culpeper, medieval medical astrologer, famous for bringing holistic healthcare to the poor in Britain when traditional medicine was unavailable to them. Hence this beautifully colored berry belongs to the sign of Virgo. All though neat-freak Virgos would not agree that the mulberry is so beautifully colored. It tends to leave vivid tie dye patterns in every driveway and path it stands over with deep purple, squished berry stains. Many a mulberry tree has been slain for it’s unwanted spots. I personally know of two such slaughters… dad, brother-in-law… you know who you are. Mom, I’ll forgive you because it had to go in order to put solar panels on the house. But speaking of murder, Lady Macbeth might have been mentioning mulberries with her famous line, out damn spot. Which brings me to issue a friendly warning: birds love mulberries, so when you go foraging, watch out for another type of spot. Bird poop is not uncommon as it’s one of our feathered friend’s faves. I bid you much success in your mulberry quest.

Now for a truly tree-hugging libational experience, might I suggest the latest and greatest of the green spirits: Reyka Vodka. Iceland’s first and only vodka is sustainably distilled, qualifying it to be a “green” spirit. In fact, Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, is entirely heated by underground hot springs. Reyka uses clean energy from geothermal heat, and pure glacial water in the production of it’s vodka. Wanna see for yourself? Enter to win a trip to Iceland for 1 winner and 9 friends to attend the Iceland Airwaves Music festival. Or perhaps you’re not so into music and more into say, amorous puffins. If this is the case, watch this video.

LADY MACBETH

• 2 oz vodka (Reyka is superb)
• 1 1/2 oz organic simple syrup***
• 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lime juice (organic is nice)
• handful of mulberrys

Add lime juice, simple syrup and mulberrys to cocktail shaker. Muddle berries until macerated (mushed up good). Add vodka and ice, shaking for ten seconds. Strain into martini glass. Garnish with diamonds. Or mulberries.

***To make simple syrup, add equal parts raw or organic sugar and water to leakproof container and shake every twenty minutes until dissolved (Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser)

Here’s a thought—Raise pet silkworms. It’s easy, just feed em mulberry leaves. They are so cute! Unless you live within five miles of a GMO crop. In which case they are so dead.

Mercury, ruler of Virgo and clarity of thought. Highly analytical, organized and efficient, Virgos can sometimes appear cold, detached and aloof to others. Just the facts ma’am, if you please. Why corrupt the pure, refined virgin with messy emotions, entanglements and worse, unhealthy ingredients? We’ve all heard of the planetary movement called “Mercury retrograde.” It is the apparent motion of Mercury moving backwards, instead of forwards. This planetary movement happens three times per year and is typified by things breaking down, running late, and miscommunicating. The world needs Mercury to rotate forward, and we need Virgos in our lives. They keep shit from falling apart! A fruit that is typified by Mercury is the pomegranate. Due to its acidic flavor, and the astringent properties of it’s flower and bark, Culpepar advises taking a strong infusion to fasten loose teeth and cure ulcers in the mouth. Today, the pomegranate is prized for it’s high level of antioxidants, which makes it all the more appropriate for the sacred virgin to put in her Body Temple. Dear Virgo, remember that a drink a day keeps the doctor away, and the PURPLE HAZE comes highly recommended. Added bonus: if you juice the pineapple and pomegranate yourself, that’s enough vitamin C to last a week.

PURPLE HAZE

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 oz. pomegranate juice (freshly squeezed will add greater flavor)
- 1 1/2 oz. Hpnotiq
- 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice (freshly squeezed will add greater flavor)
- wedge of pineapple for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker over ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add wedge of pineapple to lip of glass for garnish.

(Recipe from PomWonderful)