Blogs & Inspiration
Nature inspired cocktails
A great way to introduce some new exciting flavours and freshen up your cocktails is by using flowers and herbs. If you don’t know where to begin, Mike Di Tota, aka the botanical bartender, is here to give you some insight and inspiration on how you can use these different flavours in your cocktails.
Author: Mike di Tota, Botanical Bartender
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Where it all started
In my twenties, I took a job at a small plant nursery to combat restaurant burnout and what started as a simple retail gig became an obsession. I quickly transitioned from growing a few basic houseplants at home to nurturing a collection of over 200 orchids in my tiny studio apartment. By night, I was learning about craft gins and small batch whiskies and by day I was studying the garden’s 250 acres. In my backyard I was growing herbs and flowers like scented geraniums, lemon balm and agastache, becoming intimate with how they grew, which parts of the plant gave off aroma, and the best ways to extract their flavor in edible form so that I could use them in my cocktails.
SYRUPS
Syrups are one of my favorite ways to incorporate plant notes into a cocktail. Steeping soft herbs like tarragon, thyme or cilantro in a slightly cooled 1:1 simple syrup releases their bright flavors; heating hard spices like caraway seeds and allspice berries activates their aromatic oils. Pureeing fresh mint into a simple syrup is a terrific way to extract its flavor without the hassle of muddling.
GARNISHES
A perfect drink stimulates multiple senses, so the garnish is an important opportunity to create a visual preview of the cocktail’s flavors, as well as an aroma to precede each sip. Delicate wild honeysuckle blossoms, scented geranium leaves and fennel fronds are lovely on top of a glass, while fresh bay leaves can add great savoury aromas.
INFUSIONS
Infusions are another simple way to introduce complexity to a drink. Infusing chamomile into gin is a personal favorite pairing: the flowers give the spirit a beautiful golden hue, and the floral flavor is an unexpected counterpoint to the spirit’s juniper notes. Lavender is a match for vermouth blanc, while dried hibiscus flowers work well with tequila.
GET EXPLORING
There’s a whole botanical world for bar staff to explore, and you don’t have to be a bitters geek to incorporate herbs and flowers into your drinks. The lightbulb moment for me was when I realized that every spirit comes from a plant in some way: roots, bark, stems, seeds, flowers, fruit and vegetables. The plant kingdom is an endless source of inspiration for me.
Black Velvet
This is a perfect introduction recipe using the simple ingredients of Champagne, Guinness and Mint.
Winter’s Finale
Try this recipe for a warm, subtle anise-like flavor gin-based cocktail with lemongrass and dandelion bitters.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A great way to introduce new flavors to your cocktails is by using flowers and herbs.
- Syrups are a great way to incorporate plant notes into a cocktail.
- Infusions are a simple way to introduce complexity to a drink.
- The garnish is an important opportunity to create a visual preview of the cocktail’s flavors, as well as an aroma to precede each sip.
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