Serve Cocktails Made with Fresh Herbs and Produce From Your Garden this Summer

If you’re a gardener who enjoys entertaining, adding freshly-picked herbs to adult drinks will impress your guests and boost the flavor of any cocktail or mocktail. Also, fresh fruits and vegetables will enhance the flavor of party drinks. Here’s what you need to know about growing an herb garden for cocktails and other delicious drink recipes.

What herbs should I grow for a cocktail garden?

Mint, rosemary, basil, English lavender, and lemon verbena picked fresh make great additions to cocktails, mocktails, or any party drinks.

Mints such as orange mint, Cuban mint, and spearmint will add flavor to happy hour.

• Spearmint is the herb of choice for mint juleps.
• Orange mint adds a citrusy touch to a mojito cocktail.
• Rosemary will spark the taste of a gin and tonic.
• Sweet basil ups the flavor of vodka or a gin gimlet.
• English lavender adds subtle flavor to sparkling wine.
• Lemon verbena adds a delicious tang to sangria.

Drink Recipe – Strawberry Mojito

Greet summer guests with refreshing strawberry mojitos poolside. The fresh flavors of mint, strawberries, and lime make this sweet, berry-infused cocktail an instant classic.

This recipe yields one cocktail.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh mint leaves
• ½ cup diced strawberries
• 2 lime wedges
• ¼ light agave nectar or simple syrup
• ½ ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 ½ ounces silver {white} rum
• Splash of club soda or lime seltzer water

Instructions

1. Place diced strawberries, lime wedges, and mint leaves in a glass.
2. Add agave or simple syrup.
3. Lightly muddle ingredients until the strawberries are crushed, and the limes have released some of their juice.
4. Place lime juice and rum into the glass. Then, fill the glass with ice.
5. Finally, top with club soda or lime seltzer.
6. Add garnish if desired.

Recipe courtesy of The Kitchen Prep.

Drink Recipe – Lemon and lavender Gin and Tonic

For a gin and tonic with citrus-floral flavor, add freshly squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon and soda water to your favorite gin and tonic. Garnish the glass with a sprig of lavender. For a sweeter drink, mix a few drops of honey in a teaspoon of warm water, then mix gin and tonic into the warm water.

Recipe courtesy of These Four Walls.

 What fruits can I grow or buy to use in cocktails and party drinks? 

Peaches – Mix prosecco and peach purée for a brunch bellini.

Watermelon juice, lime juice, and cucumber slices create a refreshing watermelon cucumber cooler.

Strawberries, mint, and lime juice blend for a yummy strawberry gin smash.

Drink Recipe – Mimosas

Mimosas are fizzy, light, and perfect for a holiday brunch.

Mix 2 parts dry sparkling wine and 1 part freshly-squeezed orange juice. Pour the sparkling wine into a champagne flute, holding the flute at a slight tilt, and pour in the orange juice.

For a sweeter mimosa, use more juice and an orange slice garnish.

Recipe courtesy of Cookie and Kate.

What vegetables can I grow or buy to use in cocktails and party drinks? 

Tomato juice and a celery stalk make a delicious virgin mary.

Create a spicy beetroot bloody mary mocktail with fresh veggies – red beet, kale cucumber, green pepper, carrots, tomatoes, and jalapeno pepper. All these can be grown in your veggie or herb garden for cocktails.

Recipe – Spicy Chili Pepper Mango Margarita

A blend of mango, spicy red pepper, and red bell pepper makes this fruity Mexican margarita a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

• 1/2 fresh mango, diced (About 1/2 cup)
• 4 Tbsp diced red bell pepper, divided
• 2 Tbsp diced spicy red pepper, divided
• 3 ounces silver tequila
• 2 ounces Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
• 1 Tbsp simple syrup**
• 2 ounces mango juice
• Salt for rimming glasses
• Ice

Directions

1. Rim the edges of two cocktail glasses with simple syrup and salt.
2. Divide 1 tablespoon of the red bell pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of the spicy peppers between the glasses. Fill with ice.
3. In a large tumbler or cocktail shaker, muddle the mango, 3 tablespoons of the red bell pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the spicy red pepper.
4. Add the tequila, blood orange liqueur, simple syrup, and mango juice, then stir or shake well.
5. Strain over the prepared cocktail glasses. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Pineapple and Coconut.

Your favorite cocktail or mocktail becomes a signature drink when you make it with fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs that grow in your garden. Now that you’ve got all the tips and tricks, it’s time to grow that herb garden for cocktails!