when i think of gin, i think a gimlet. thanks to some creative thinking british sailors, this classic tipple was born. the story goes that in order to escape scurvy while at sea, the sailors had to consume large amounts of lime. the addition of gin made the lime more palitable and the rest is history. the gimlet is the original health drink! of course i had to adulterate this perfect yet modest recipe and add all sorts of crazy shiz…. the most unusual being i think the addition of rose geranium leaves.

geranium is ruled by sun and falls under the sign of leo. this plant thrives in hot, dry soil. if they don’t get it, they’ll not flower. and if you give them a tad too much water, they’ll quickly drown. i find the bloom of the geranium to be spectacular because of it’s color. be it red, pink, orange, or even white - the petals are always brilliant, just like leo. i have lots of geranium plants sitting on my window ledge. they’re sun hogs. again, like attention-loving leo! this interesting plant, like mint, comes in a multitude of scents ranging from lemon to cinnamon to mint to rose. and the latter is the one used in this cocktail, imparting a very subtle, but pleasant smell and flavour. i’d tell you to garnish with a geranium flower to really impress the lofty lion, but i’ve heard they are poisonous. stick with an orange slice instead!

BEHOLDEN (rose geranium & orange flower gimlet)
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz fresh orange juice
1 1/2 oz organic raw simple syrup
1/4 oz orange flower water
5 rose geranium leaves

muddle geranium leaves with orange flower water and lime until leaves are macerated. add gin and simple syrup. shake in ice filled cocktail shaker and strain into martini glass.

NOTE: be sure to store flower waters in the fridge or they will go rancid.

thanks to OH GOSH for hosting MXMO XXI.

will she swallow or will she not? that is a question for libra… flirt extraordinaire punctuated by a zodiacal question mark. not only will this little vixen keep you guessing, but she’ll keep herself guessing too! this drink is named in her honor and for the devil’s advocate she plays in any given argument. doesn’t matter what she believes… she’ll choose the side not taken for the sheer fairness of giving both parties a judicious hearing. yup, she really will drive ya nuts in a debate, but take solace in that she does the same to herself, 24/7. Including what to drink, and when, and where, and how, and wether to swallow or not. the one thing she won’t ask is why. another drink? libra always says, why not!

the alluring sign of libra is ruled by the planet of beauty and love, venus. like all libras, who are usually a very attractive bunch, fruits and flowers under this planet are also exceptionally enticing. pleasing to look at, to smell, to swallow. the venusian pear and elderflower in this cocktail makes it quite intoxicating.

THE SWALLOW:

2 oz sake
1 oz freshly extracted pear nectar*
3/4 oz elderflower syrup*
1/4 fresh squeezed lemon

* (if pears are overly soft, a puree will work)

as soon as you juice the pears, add the lemon juice to preserve color as it will go brown very quickly. stir the pear juice, lemon, sake and elderflower syrup very well and pour into chilled cocktail glass. garnish with a kiss.

(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

ELDERFLOWER SYRUP
i found making this to be a very VERY labor intensive proposition. and buggy as hell. seems not just libra’s like elderflower, but every damn bug in the insect kingdom too!
shake “ripe” flowers off bush into container. the ones that aren’t ready to fall will stay on bush. after you finish plucking out the critters, go to any one of the ELDERFLOWER SYRUP recipes below:
JEREMY TAYLOR
JOANNA’S FOOD
ABSOLUTELY GREEN RECIPES
THE PASSIONATE COOK

thanks to KALYN’S KITCHEN for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #107.

gemini, the most verbal and articulate of all the signs, will eloquently put to you that which she wants to know without so much as a flinch. “voulez vous coucher avec moi c’est soir?” after a few martinis, she’ll be looking for a bedmate, or two. think you can resist her girlish demeanor and naughty gemini ways? doubtful. she’s just too charmingly innocent, but beware it’s an act.

why lemon? because this girl is lemon-scented clean by day, and dirty by night. lemon is a cutting and astringent type of fruit, and for that reason it belongs to the sharp thinking planet of mercury. those under this dominion are light on their feet, quick thinking, fast talkers… gemini IS life in the fast lane. so get cleaned up for this party girl… drink lotsa lemon.

COUCHER AVEC MOI

1 1/2 gin or vodka
1 1/2 oz raw organic simple syrup
1 oz lavender water
3/4 oz limoncello*
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
2 sprigs rosemary

muddle rosemary with limoncello in mixing glass. after well-macerated, add remaining ingredients. shake with ice and strain into martini glass and garnish with rosemary or lemon slice.

*simple syrup is a mixture of sugar and water in equal parts. place both in container and shake or stir until dissolved. store in fridge.

NOTE: be sure to store flower waters in the fridge or they will go rancid.

*it’s easy to make your own LIMONCELLO. follow any of the recipes below:
HEDONIA
ITALY LOGUE
A BIG SLICE
ON MY PLATE
SPICE TART

(created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

thanks to COOK ALMOST ANYTHING for hosting WEEKEND HERB BLOGGING #103.

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.

it’s so ironic that calling someone a pansy is snonomous to calling them a wimp, and is seen as a kind of friendly insult. this modest flower is actually made of some of the strongest petals on earth. yes, one would assume that it’s frilly little head, often seen in cheesy table bouquets and on fancy cakes, would die off quietly at the end of summer. but true to aquarius’ surprising and quirky nature, the pansy will keep ya guessin… will it or won’t it show up in the spring? if it is located in a shady spot in the garden, chances are it will impress you by being one of spring’s first blooms. it is a cool, shade-loving plant, like the cold planet of saturn by whom it is owned. and it is particularly hardy, flowering well into january even. i’ve heard we shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover, and this holds especially true for aquarius - the queen of unpredictability. calling someone a pansy is really a compliment to that person’s fortitude. so the next time you seek to offend someone by doing just that, think again. you’ll really be flattering the person you mean to diss. not that any of us would EVER do such a thing anyway ; )

in keeping in line with gabriel’s FIZZ theme for mixology monday, i absolutely HAD to make use of my fave fizz: SPARKLING SAKE. ask your sauce shop to special order it for you… totally deliciously worth it!

PANSY-ASS SAKE
sparkling sake
pansy syrup
agnostura bitters

in bottom of empty glass, add one drop agnostura bitters and 1/4 oz pansy syrup. then fill the glass with chilled sake. garnish with pansy flower.

PANSY SYRUP:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup pansy petals

remove all traces of green from petals and place in food processor. Adding 1/3 cup sugar, grid pansies into sugar by pulsing slowly 4 times. Finish by processing on high for 30 seconds.

Combine remainder of sugar, mixture from food processor and water in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Stir and allow to simmer for approx 45 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a final storage container. will keep for months in fridge. adding 1 oz vodka or few drops lemon oil acts as a preservative.

(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

thanks to COCKTAIL NERD for hosting MXMO XIX.

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

well, you may know, after my reciting it a hundred times on this blog, that jupiter is the planet of excess. pisces is co-ruled by jupiter and the more recently discovered, outer planet of neptune. i think we can all agree, that in spring, the amount of dandelions on our lawn is certainly excessive. the rampant spreading of those little yellow heads, and the troublesome fluff that they become, is progeny of jupiter. this invasive weed however, is not without merit. and what is a weed, but a plant we have no use for? in actuality though, dandelions make delicious wine. my mom used to gather the heads to make wine during the “spring flush,” when most people were running their lawn mower over them in exasperation. and the leaves of dandelion are good for stirfries and salads during the early spring weeks, before they get bitter. medicinally, this little yellow pest is supposedly a powerful digestive aid, in addition to many other health-enhancing properties. perhaps the element of dandelion that best captures pisces dream-like nature, is the tradition of blowing all the seeds off making a wish. if there’s any sign that can wish, and dream, and ponder, and get lost in their make-believe sea world, it is the dreamy fishes with their fantastical wishes. but by far, the smartest way to utilize jupiter’s golden bounty, is by infusion and consumption!

DANDELION DAQUIRI:
2 oz dandelion infused white rum*
3/4 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup*
dandelion for garnish (if you can find one)

*prepare dandelioninfusion by pulling the yellow petals off of the head. be sure to avoid any green. place approx one cup full in a 750 ml bottle of white rum. allow to sit for several weeks in dark location. to use, run through strainer and store.

*simple syrup is a mixture of 50% sugar and water. place in container and shake or stir until dissolved.

(recipe created by gwen sutherland kaiser)

see Dandelion Cointreau Infusion

The sun rules the marigold, as you might guess from the flower’s near fluorescent orange color, and ray-like petals that protrude outwards like little sun flares from the largest star in our solar system. As with the Leo’s in our life, who need a steady stream of love and attention to show their brilliance, marigolds need a steady stream of hot sun. without this, they will wilt in the shade, unable to lift their proud little heads up off their chests - and likely even die. as did the ones on the shady side of my porch this summer, which i’m ashamed to admit.

In China, I had the pleasure of tasting marigold tea, which was delicious. I gather in India, they pop ‘em like m & m’s. Personally, I prefer m & m’s. Here in the states, rarely do I see them anywhere but gardens. They must be the #1 planted annual here in the US, as masses of them live out their short but vibrant lives in concrete planters at gas stations, curbside parking lots, suburbia’s front lawn, and many a class project. the avid gardener will also know that planting them amongst the garden vegetables keeps the buggies away. not sure why or how - but my mom swears by them.

Actually, it is the marigold’s more flavorful relative, the tagete, that is more popularly used in cuisine. but they are apparently a little harder to come by, which brings us back to the marigold! If you can score some tagetes for this recipe, using them over marigolds is advised.

If your Leo could use some sunny cheer, serve them a MARRY MI’ GOLD. But don’t dare serve it without the flamboyant marigold flower which will bring an even bigger smile to showy Leo’s lips. purrrr….

MARRY MI’ GOLD (SEE ALSO BASIL SHANDY)

Marigold lemonade *
Pale lager

* Fill glass with equal parts beer and lemonade. Garnish with a Marigold Flower.

If you don’t have any lemonade, try using UV’s new vodka LEMONADE flavor instead.

MARIGOLD LEMONADE:
In pitcher, add 1 cup raw organic sugar, 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice and three marigold flowers. stir every twenty minutes or so until sugar dissolves. be sure to stir the sugar that settles to the bottom of the pitcher. Allow to sit for at least an hour so that marigold flavor is extracted. For presentation, add fresh marigolds.

MARIGOLD ICE CUBES:
Place petals in ice cube tray and freeze. Use them at time of serving for an even grander Leoian impression!

Thanks to THE COOKING DIVA for hosting this WHB #95.

Hardly the shrinking violet type, flirtatious Libra’s cocktail is made with the sweet little Violet, flower child of Venus. Libra and Taurus are both ruled by Venus, as are all things beautiful, sensual, fragrant and sweet. If you’ve ever tasted a violet candy–or a candied violet–you’ll know how delectable this petit fleur can be. My mother’s childhood memories include digging for the violet creme in the box of chocolates her aunt would send every Christmas. That was in Britain where it’s not so hard to secure violet flavoured products; unlike the US, where it’s quite the challenge. You can find Chowards Violet gum & mints at select grocers, but for pretty much anything else Violet we must turn to our faithful World Wide Web companion. Violet syrup, violet liquor, violet candies and crystallized violets can all be found with the click of a mouse. In fact, France even celebrates a Violet Festival (La Fete des Violettes) where the town of Tourrettes sur Loup celebrates the harvesting of these precious blossoms which are it’s livelihood. (Thanks to Little Fancies for this interesting tidbit.) In contrast to it’s subtle flavour, the violet’s color is an intense purple, as you can see from the photo below. I just read in the NYT that artist Sigmar Polke used violet as a pigment in his paintings for a purple hue with an unatainable gold shimmer unable to be aquired with the use of our modern, conventional paints.

SHRINKING VIOLET (VIOLET CAIPIRINHA)

2 oz cachaca
2 tbsp violet sugar*
1/2 lemon
garnish: violet petals

Cut lemon into small pieces and place in wide-bottomed glass. Add 2 tbsp of Violet sugar, and macerate for several minutes until the mixture is of a paste-like consistency. You can muddle (or mush) the lemon and sugar with any of the following:
*muddler (EXPLORE THE POUR found a real good one)
* end of a thin rolling pin
* end of a wooden spoon
* spurtle
Fill glass with crushed ice and pour cachaca into glass, stirring before serving. Float violet petals for garnish (lemon wedge will do if you don’t have any.)

***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. (Recipe created by Gwen Sutherland Kaiser).

SEE ALSO: VIOLET FLEURTINI, AMIE DE LA VIOLETTE (1 part gin, 1 part violet liquor, 1 part fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, thanks again Little Fancies) , VIOLET CHOCOLATE CREAM COCKTAIL

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.