the smokiness of the mezcal combined with the depth of the spices and the sweetness of the cider works perfectly together. perfect like virgo, but when you’re freezing anything warm is perfect! seriously though, this is a good one that’s easy peasy to make. and, i add woefully, it was a best seller at the now-defunct mexican gastropub, comida mercado fresco : (

this cider is host to a plethora of ingredients–indeed it has all 12 signs in it! but i’m going to go with virgo here and pick coriander to focus on. why? because so many of us don’t realize that coriander is actually cilantro! yup, that’s right… when cilantro goes to seed, the seeds are then picked and… voila! we have coriander.

and as you know, because you are such good little students, cilantro is ruled by mercury, who is the fast and furious ruler of the most perfectionistic sign in the zodiac: virgo. this is due to its lacy foliage and fragile quality, indicative of Mercury’s quick and wispy nature. Mercury is our fastest orbiting planet. Cilantro’s flower also happens to be “perfect.” of course.

here’s some trivia for ya…. Linda Gilbert states “In literature, coriander is mentioned as an aphrodisiac in The Tales of the Arabian Nights. And those famous sugarplums which fill children’s dreams at Christmas time were originally sugar coated coriander, a treat that offered a sweet start and then a spicy burst of flavor. Later the recipe included small bits of fruit and became the confection we know today.”

HOT MEZCAL CIDER:
2 oz mezcal (organic del maguey is recod)
fill with spiced cider
serve in a mug, garnish with an orange bow

SPICED CIDER:
1 gallon cider
10 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
15 coriander seeds
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
(toast spices in skillet, add to cider in sauce pot, simmer for 10 minutes, store in fridge.)

as promised, i’m putting all the recipes from our holiday event (intoxicated zodiac, susan miller & todd english) online. so now all you zodiac junkies can drink your very own sign for some extra christmas cheer this year!

The work of Nicholas Culpeper, the father of western herbalism, serves as a guide when i create astrology-themed drinks. 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” is a NOISE 784 production. 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.

can’t sleep? place a drop of lavender oil on your pillow. got a rash? rub some lavender oil on it. pets love lavender oil, put a drop in their litter box or on their bed. lavender has become a modern symbol of healing and purity; a guardian of goodness. nature’s nurse, if you will. so who wants to play doctor with virgo? we should all be so lucky!

in this lavender libation, those virgoan petals take the inherent goodness of this classic cocktail to another level… a subtly fragrant one. care for a nightcap? this tipple will bring some particularly sweet dreams…

if you’d like to try your hand at growing lavender, it prefers to grow in sunny, well drained soil. if you can get it to grow, it’s amazing stuff to have in the garden! in the dead of winter, there’s nothing better than a vase of dried summer lavender. and the bees, well they just love it…

LAVENDER BEES KNEES

1.5 oz gin
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
5 sprigs fresh lavender OR 1/2 tsp dried lavender
1 spoon honey

*** Mix hot water and lavender in bowl. Let steep for five minutes. muddle as well to augment flavor.

*** Whisk in honey, strain into another bowl.

*** Add lavender honey syrup, gin, lemon juice; strain into cocktail shaker with ice and stir extremely well.

*** Strain into a cocktail glass.

VIA EHOW

THANKS TO KALYN’S KITCHEN FOR HOSTING WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING.

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 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.

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.

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.

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)