Farm to table. Field to plate. Why not garden to glass? Herbal cocktails have a botanical bite that defines them. Mint. Basil. Cilantro. Sage. Rosemary. Dill. These herbs, as fresh as the season, can be muddled, infused, and steeped into syrups and shrubs, or simply snipped and stuck on top. There’s an herb for every season and every palate. I even have a cocktail section in my garden.
When you’re out in the garden gathering your cocktail ingredients, there’s no reason to stop at herbs. This Triple C Collins (the C stands for celery, cucumber, and cilantro) brings all sorts of garden bounty to the glass.
1 lemon wedge, for moistening and as garnish
Celery salt, for rimming the glass
1 pinch kosher salt
1 (1-1/2-inch) piece unpeeled English cucumber, roughly chopped, about 1/4 cup
2 small, light-colored interior celery stalks with leaves, divided
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
2 shots / 90 ml / 3 fl oz cucumber-infused vodka
(see Mild-Flavored Vegetable Infusion “MILD-FLAVORED VEGETABLE INFUSION ” on page 19)
2 tbsp / 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 or 3 dashes celery bitters
1/4 cup / 2 fl oz club soda, or as needed
1 spear unpeeled English cucumber, as garnish
Use the lemon wedge to lightly moisten the rim of a 10 to 14-ounce Collins glass. Pour celery salt into a small saucer, spreading it out in a thin, even layer. Press the glass rim into the celery salt, cookie-cutter style, twisting it back and forth to coat the rim evenly.
Roughly chop one of the celery stalks; you should have about 1/4 cup. In a sturdy, thick-bottomed pint glass from a Boston shaker, use a bar muddler to crush the kosher salt, chopped cucumber, chopped celery, and cilantro into a fragrant, pulpy mush. Add the vodka, lemon juice, and bitters; swirl to combine.
Fill the metal part of the Boston shaker half-full with ice. Pour the muddled vodka mixture (including pulp) over the ice. Cap the shaker with its pint glass and shake vigorously until well chilled. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda and stir gently. Garnish with the remaining celery stalk, the cucumber spear, and the lemon wedge.
Makes 1
Breeder’s Cup is from Matthew Biancaniello, the well-known cocktail chef at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Library Bar. His talents are evident here, as is his creative ability to reimagine the classic Gordon’s Cup cocktail as a horserace, leading to his pungent addition of horseradish and a whole new breed of beverage.
6 (1/8-inch) English cucumber slices, divided
1/2 shot / 22-1/2 ml / 3/4 fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 shot / 22-1/2 ml / 3/4 fl oz agave syrup*
1 barspoon beet horseradish
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz dry gin
1 pinch smoked sea salt, as garnish
* Mix agave nectar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
Line the sides of an old-fashioned glass with 3 slices of the cucumber in an attractive pattern. Fill the glass with medium ice cubes. In a sturdy, thick-bottomed pint glass from a Boston shaker, use a bar muddler to crush the remaining cucumber slices with the lime juice and agave syrup until fragrant. Add the beet horseradish and gin, stirring to combine and to remove all the horseradish from the spoon.
Fill the metal part of the Boston shaker ⅔ full with ice. Pour the muddled gin mixture (including pulp) over the ice. Cap the shaker with the pint glass and shake vigorously until well chilled. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into the prepared glass. Garnish with a pinch of smoked sea salt.
A “Daisy” is an old style of cocktail; its base spirit and fruity element are changeable, but a Daisy is always served over crushed ice.
2-1/2 pony shots / 75 ml / 2-1/2 fl oz Ransom or other Old Tom gin
1 shot / 30 ml / 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz yellow Chartreuse
Splash of club soda
1 fresh mint sprig, as garnish
Add the gin, lemon juice, and Chartreuse to a cocktail shaker ⅔ filled with ice. Cover and shake vigorously. Strain into an 8 to 10-ounce highball glass filled with crushed ice. Top with club soda and garnish with mint.
Makes 1
I somehow got it into my head that I needed to “invent” a cocktail using the strangest ingredient I could think of, so I chose beets and came up with Beetle Juice. But do you know what? Beet cocktails aren’t so strange; in fact, they’re quite trendy. Just go online if you don’t believe me. Since I like pickled beets, I turned my attention to a cocktail featuring a beet and juniper berry shrub.
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz beet-infused dry gin or vodka, as you prefer (see page 19)
2 tbsp / 1 fl oz beet and juniper berry shrub (see page 18)
1 tbsp / 1/2 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 3/8 cup / 2 to 3 fl oz tonic water
1 pickled beet from the shrub preparation, as garnish (see “BEET AND JUNIPER SHRUB” on page 18)
1 trimmed scallion, as garnish
Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Fill an 8 to 10-ounce wine goblet or highball glass with medium ice cubes; add the beet-infused liquor, shrub, and lemon juice. Gently stir until just blended. Top with tonic water and stir gently. Garnish with a pickled beet and scallion and season with a tiny pinch each of salt and pepper.
Makes 1
Part of the fun in writing this book was asking people what a “savory cocktail” meant to them. I got all kinds of answers. One of the people I asked was Andy Windak, one of my podcast partners at The Table Set. His answer was so smart and succinct, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it myself.
1 shot / 45 ml / 1-1/2 fl oz savory-infused dry gin (see Herbal Infusion page 19)*
2 tbsp / 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz red vermouth
1 small egg white (optional)
1 small savory sprig, as garnish (optional)*
* Savory (Satureja hortensis and Satureja montana) are culinary herbs in the mint family. Any fragrant herb may be substituted.
Pour the gin, lemon juice, vermouth, and egg white (if using) into cocktail shaker. Cover and vigorously “dry shake” for about 30 seconds to combine. Uncap the shaker, fill ⅔ full with ice, and shake vigorously again until frothy, at least 30 seconds. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the sprig of savory (if using).
Makes 1
I chose aquavit for this Celery Shrub Cocktail. It’s the Scandinavian cousin to vodka. But unlike Patty Duke’s Patty and Cathy, they’re hardly identical cousins. Aquavit is distinctly flavored with caraway seed. As a chilled shot in a stemmed glass it’s the perfect partner to savory foods. These same characteristics lend themselves to savory cocktails. I like an American version called Krogstad from House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon, with a recipe based on the traditional Scandinavian method for its clear, clean taste.
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz aquavit
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz Cardamaro or other herbaceous amaro
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub (available online)
1 lemon twist, as garnish
Combine the aquavit, Cardamaro, and celery shrub in a mixing glass half-filled with ice. Stir until chilled and properly diluted, about 20 seconds. Julep-strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing its oil onto the surface, rubbing it onto the rim of the glass, and dropping it in the drink, peel side up.
Makes 1
I love to take walks in the summertime. I live in Los Angeles, where we’re drowning in sunshine—yet it’s rarely too sweltering to enjoy a stroll. The city has a different beat in summer. Cafés spill out onto the street and menus get written up on chalkboards. Summer cocktails whisper their minty cool breath in my ear. On one such afternoon, I wandered into a little place on Beverly Boulevard. The board was chalked with the phrase, “Beat the heat with a cool cocktail: Pimm’s Cup.” I’d never had the drink, so I sat down and said “Pimm’s Cup, please, up.” Well, the waiter’s bemused face made me appreciate the phrase “walking in LA.” Because nobody walks in LA, except fools like me.
3 thin, wide ribbons of English cucumber peel, cut lengthwise with a vegetable peeler from a 3-inch section
1 (1-inch) piece English cucumber, roughly chopped
3 dime-size slices fresh ginger
9 mint leaves, divided
1 tiny pinch sea salt
1 shot / 45 ml / 1-1/2 fl oz Pimm’s No.1
1 shot / 45 ml / 1-1/2 fl oz dry gin
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz ginger liqueur
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
Line the inside of a cocktail glass with the cucumber ribbons. They should easily stick to the glass; if not, moisten them with a little water. Set aside.
In a sturdy, thick-bottomed pint glass from a Boston shaker, use a bar muddler to crush the cucumber piece, ginger, 8 mint leaves, and salt into a fragrant, pulpy mush. Pour in the Pimm’s, gin, ginger liqueur, and lemon juice.
Fill the metal part of the Boston shaker ⅔ full with medium ice cubes. Pour the muddled Pimm’s mixture (including pulp) over the ice. Cap the shaker with the pint glass and shake vigorously until well chilled. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into the prepared glass. Garnish with remaining mint leaf.
Makes 1
Tip
For a simpler version, you can forget the ribbons and the muddle of cucumber, ginger, and mint. Build the drink in an ice-filled highball glass, topping it with 2 to 3 ounces of San Pellegrino Limonata or club soda, then garnish with a cucumber spear and mint leaves. This is a more traditional variation on the Pimm’s Cup. It will lose some of its savory edge but will remain a refreshing summer cocktail.
I don’t golf, but I’ve been to the proverbial 19th hole a time or two. I always notice that many people are drinking plain old gin and tonic, and it got me wondering. Can you make a gin fizz with tonic water instead of soda water? Well, let’s find out.
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz dry gin
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz green Chartreuse
1 tbsp / 1/2 fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1 barspoon herbal lemon syrup, using mixed herbs (see page 14)
3 or 4 drops celery bitters (optional)
1/4 cup / 2 fl oz tonic water
1 celery stalk, as garnish
Combine the gin, Chartreuse, lime juice, herbal syrup, bitters (if using), and tonic water in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice. Cover and shake vigorously until well chilled; strain into an ice-filled Collins or chimney glass. Garnish with the celery stalk.
Makes 1
This drink is from Bittercube’s cocktail bitters Ira Koplowitz. Its dual notes of cocoa and rhubarb round out the distinctive herbal notes in the dill-infused aquavit.
1/4 pony shot / 71/2 ml / 1/4 fl oz green Chartreuse, as rinse
1 pony shot / 30 ml / 1 fl oz dill-infused aquavit (see Herbal Infusion, page 19)
1 pony shot / 30 ml / 1 fl oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, or other red vermouth
1/4 pony shot / 71/2 ml / 1/4 fl oz cherry liqueur
1-1/2 tsp / 1/4 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp / ⅛ fl oz simple syrup (see page 14)
1 dash Bittercube blackstrap molasses bitters (available online)
Pour the Chartreuse into a chilled cocktail glass and “turn” the glass, rolling the Chartreuse along the inside until is well coated; pour out the excess. This is called “rinsing” the glass. Set aside.
Add the aquavit, vermouth, cherry liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass half-filled with ice. Stir until chilled and properly diluted, about 20 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass.
Makes 1
The Golden Lion is from lead bartender Jacob Grier from Metrovino in Portland, Oregon. The cumin notes in his cocktail come from an American version of aquavit made at North Shore Distillery.
1 shot / 45 ml / 1-1/2 fl oz white vermouth
1/2 shot / 22-1/2 ml / 3/4 fl oz aquavit
1/2 pony shot / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz Galliano L’Autentico
2 dashes celery bitters
Combine the vermouth, aquavit, Galliano, and bitters in a mixing glass half-filled with ice. Stir until chilled and properly diluted, about 20 seconds. Julep-strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Serve immediately.
Makes 1
Fennel has a natural “fizz” that makes the tongue tingle. That tingle comes from anise and its menthol undertones. This is psychological, but it opens the palate for the subtle flavors that fennel has to offer. The savory notes in sage keep this cocktail in balance.
1 (2-inch) piece fennel, sliced (stalk only)
4 large sage leaves
1 pinch coarse salt
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz citrus-infused vodka (see page 19), or dry gin if you prefer
1/2 pony / 15 ml / 1/2 fl oz green Chartreuse
2 tbsp / 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 barspoon herbal lemon syrup, made with mixed herbs (see page 14)
⅜ cup / 3 fl oz club soda, or more as needed
1 fennel frond, as garnish
In a sturdy, thick-bottomed pint glass from a Boston shaker, use a bar muddler to crush together the fennel slices, sage, and salt until you have a fragrant, pulpy mush. Add the vodka or gin, Chartreuse, lemon juice, and herbal lemon syrup; stir lightly to combine and to remove all the syrup from the spoon.
Fill the metal part of the Boston shaker ⅔ full with medium ice cubes. Pour the muddled gin or vodka mixture (including pulp) over the ice. Cap the shaker with the pint glass and shake vigorously until well chilled. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with club soda and stir gently. Garnish with the fennel frond.
Makes 1
This drink feels like summer. Make it with the very best summer tomatoes or don’t make it at all. Backyard beauties are best, but farmers’ markets and even some grocery stores carry excellent heirloom tomatoes these days. Choose carefully; you’ll want a bright tomato taste to stand up to the fearless herbaceousness in this cocktail, which drinks like a meal.
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil, and tarragon leaves)
1/4 cup roughly chopped heirloom tomato
1 (1-inch) piece unpeeled English cucumber, roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz dry gin
Tonic water, as needed
2 sprigs parsley, basil, or other herb, as garnish (optional)
Choose a traditional pint or similar sturdy, thick-bottomed 16-ounce glass. If any of the herbs (such as thyme) have woody stems, remove and discard them. Place the herbs, tomato, and cucumber in the glass and use a long-handled bar muddler to crush them into a fragrant, pulpy mush. Fill the glass with medium ice cubes, stir, add the gin, and stir again. Top with tonic water. Garnish with the herb sprigs (if using).
Makes 1
Are you going? I think you should.
1/4 cup / 2 fl oz vodka infused with equal parts parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme (see page 19)
1/2 pony shot / 15ml / 1/2 fl oz white vermouth
1/2 pony shot / 15ml / 1/2 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-1/2 tsp / 1/4 fl oz citrus syrup, made with lemon (see page 15)
1 small fresh thyme sprig, as garnish
Combine the vodka, vermouth, lemon juice, and citrus syrup in a cocktail shaker ⅔ full of ice. Cover and shake vigorously until well chilled, then strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with the thyme sprig.
Makes 1
This is a summery drink, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait for summer to enjoy it. This is another cocktail that I prefer to make by the pitcherful, or sometimes the jarful. Large Mason jars are a great addition to the home bartender’s supply closet. They’re great for making infusions because they come with easy-on, easy-off screw lids. Since this is a party drink, I think it’s fun to use smaller Mason or jelly jars as glasses. It makes casual entertaining seem all the more lighthearted.
3 limes, divided
1/2 cup packed fresh basil sprigs, plus more as garnish
1 unpeeled English cucumber
2 tbsp / 1 fl oz herbal lemon syrup, using basil (see page 14)
1-1/2 cups / 12 fl oz citrus or cucumber-infused vodka (see page 19)
1/2 cup / 4 fl oz Cocchi Americano
3 cups / 24 fl oz club soda, or as needed
Slice 1 lime into thin rounds and place them into a 2-pint or larger pitcher or Mason jar. Juice the remaining limes and add the juice to the pitcher or jar. Slice the cucumber in half crosswise; cut half into thin rounds, the other half into 6 lengthwise spears. Add the rounds to the jar or pitcher; reserve the spears to use as garnish.
Add the vodka, Cocchi, and 1/2 cup basil to the pitcher or jar. Cover and place in the refrigerator to steep for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
Fill 6 Collins glasses, double old-fashioned glasses, or 12-ounce Mason jars with medium ice cubes. Strain the mixture from the jar or pitcher, dividing it equally among the glasses (about ⅜ cup / 3 fl oz each). Top each with club soda (⅜ to 1/2 cup / 3 to 4 fl oz) and garnish with a basil sprig and cucumber spear. Serve with a straw.
Makes 6
In some Southeast Asian cultures, lemongrass is thought to have powers of psychic purification. I chose Žubrówka vodka to carry on the theme of grass in this cocktail, which is essentially a lemongrass sour. Originating in the 17th century, this very dry style of vodka is flavored with a tincture of European buffalo grass. A single blade is traditionally placed inside each bottle as well. This infusion gives the liquor a faint greenish yellow tint and the delicate herbal aroma of freshly mown grass.
1 (2-inch) piece fresh lemongrass, split into quarters lengthwise
2 pony shots / 60 ml / 2 fl oz Žubrówka Vodka, or substitute citrus-infused vodka (see page 19)
1-1/2 tbsp / 3/4 fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice
1-1/2 tsp / 1/4 fl oz lemongrass kaffir syrup (see page 14)
1 small egg white (optional)
3 drops Angostura bitters, or Aromatic “House” Bitters (see page 17, optional)
3 drops The Bitter End Thai Bitters (available online, optional)
In a sturdy, thick-bottomed cocktail shaker, use a bar muddler to crush the lemongrass until fragrant. Pour the vodka, lime juice, lemongrass kaffir syrup, and egg white (if using). Cover and vigorously “dry shake” the ingredients for about 30 seconds to combine. Don’t skip this step—it really helps build structure. The longer and more vigorously you shake, the more lift you’ll get from the foam that’s created. Uncap the shaker and fill ⅔ full with ice; shake vigorously until well chilled and frothy, at least 30 more seconds. Using a Hawthorn strainer, double-strain the cocktail through a wire-mesh sieve into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Wait a moment for the foam to rise, then place 3 drops of each kind of bitters (if using) to form a circle on top and use a skewer to connect the dots.
Makes 1