“Sex and the City” popularized the Cosmo. Bethenny Frankel brought the Skinnygirl Margarita. Now it’s all about Herbal Cocktails.
But don’t just pour some vodka and float a leaf on the top. Here are four ways to easily add spice, each with a slightly different effect:
-Muddle it- Place the herbs at the bottom of the glass and smash them with a spoon or cocktail stick to break up, bruise and release the oils- the flavor. Once muddled, add the alcohol and ice, shake it, then dump the whole thing in the glass. The herbs almost become textural in addition to the flavor.
-Shake it- The herbs are broken up in the violent act of shaking. The ice cuts the herbs into little chards, then the larger pieces of herbs are strained out, leaving the flavorful oils and aromatics.
-Spank it- Take an herb leaf and spank it in your hand to bruise it, and release the oils. Then drop the one whole leaf on top of the drink serving as an aromatic garnish.
-Infuse it- This is the original way of adding herbs to alcohol. Basically, you add herbs to alcohol and let it sit for several hours to a couple of days, allowing the herbs to release its oils into the alcohol.
Here are Two Fab Skinny Herbaceous Cocktails to Try:
Skinny Jalapenito
Beyond the mojito, it’s the Jalapeno that ups the anty on this fab cocktail. How? Hot peppers are natural fat-burners. Fat-burning foods tend to literally be “burning”- mouth burning that is. They also naturally heat up the body while helping to increase digestion, circulation, and the metabolism. If you can find a hot-spiced cocktail at your fave local bar- great! Here’s how to make it on your own:
1½ oz. Rum
12 Mint leaves (fights gas, antiseptic, digestive aid)
4 Jalapeno slices (fat-burning, metabolism boosting)
1 Lime- juiced (fat-burning, immune boosting)
3 packets Truvia (or other sweetener)
Splash of Soda water
Ice
Muddle mint, lime, jalapeno and sweetener. Muddle.
Add Rum. Muddle.
Add Ice. Shake!!!
Pour into a glass.
Add soda.
Drink!
Garden Refresher
Play with your herbs! Have fun with what you have growing in your garden. Choose different flavors. Mix them together. Find your fave combo. Here’s one of mine:
4 Cucumber slices (fights plaque build-up)
1 Lime- juiced (fat-burning, immune boosting)
1 Basil leaf (blood sugar stabilizer, antioxidant)
1 packet Truvia
1 1/2 oz. Vodka
Ice
Muddle Cucumber and Sweetener.
Add Lime. Muddle
Add Vodka. Muddle
Add Ice. Shake!!!
Strain into glass.
Spank Basil. Float on top.
Bottoms Up!