The Ultimate Guide To Growing And Using Rosemary In Drinks
One of the herbs that is often incorporated in different cocktails and mocktails as a garnish or as an infusion to build flavour is rosemary. This herb carries a slightly botanical flavour note and pairs suitable with gin-based cocktails. The herbaceous notes of the liquor go well with the savoury profile of rosemary in the making of drinks that are a mix of sweet and herby flavour profiles. Moreover, rosemary is easy to cultivate at home which has led to many mixologists growing this herb in their intimate kitchen garden.
In the arena of bartending, rosemary can be used in different ways for blending with spirits, mixers and juices. Rosemary sprigs are propped on top of cocktails as interesting adornments for drinks with a clear look.
The herb is also added to simple syrup to make flavourful infusions. Fresh rosemary can be muddled with lime and mint to release its oils and aromas that can accentuate the taste of flavoured mojitos and margarita cocktails.
Tips For Growing Rosemary At Home
Choosing A Variety
While picking out the rosemary variety to grow at home, one might have to first settle on how much space will be marked to create a patch of this herb.
In a backyard garden, it is possible to cultivate common varieties like tuscan blue as these are flavourful and simultaneously can thrive in different environments.
However, when one is short on space, microgreens are a suitable alternative. A prostrate rosemary will grow well in a small pot or hanging basket.
Sandy Soil
Rosemary requires loamy soil that drains well. This is slightly coarser as compared to the soil required to nurture mint or lemongrass. It would be prudent to cultivate rosemary in a separate pot to monitor the soil consistency.
One way to acquire this required sandy texture in soil is to simply mix sand with potting soil. Alternatively, cactus soil can also be used to grow rosemary.
Bring Indoors In Winters
One among the herbs that can grow throughout the year, rosemary requires just a little bit of extra care come winter. If the herb is being planted outdoors, it would be necessary to bring it inside, come the cooler climes.
Rosemary can survive a light frost but anything colder and it can be risky for plant growth. The herb requires a lot of sunlight too, so in winters, find a window from where the pot or basket gets good natural light.
Rosemary In Drinks
Smoked Rosemary
A creative method for adding rosemary to drinks is by smoking the herb and trapping its aroma in a glass. A cocktail can be poured into this glass containing the smoke so it catches the aromatic note of the herb lending the blend more depth.
Rosemary sprigs can be smoked to make variations of several cocktails like a flavoured negroni or a smoked gin and tonic to imbue a slight dramatic touch into blends.
Rosemary Infused Spirits
Another way to incorporate rosemary particularly in cocktails is by making infused spirits. The herb’s subdued flavour notes can be introduced in about 250 ml gin or vodka by adding fresh sprigs to the spirit and letting the mix sit for at least three days.
Strain the spirit and use it in blending cocktails like a flavoured gin and tonic or a rosemary infused martini cocktail. An herbal hint will bring more complexity into these classic cocktails.
Rosemary Garnishes
One of the more creative ways to use rosemary as a garnish in alcoholic and non-alcoholic blends is to use the sprigs of this herb as skewers. Tropical and citrus fruits can be inserted into these skewers which are then used as garnishes.
This is a particularly useful idea for adorning drinks like the martini cocktail. Rosemary sprigs add a gentle flavour and aroma into cocktails and can be used as a simple garnish atop a drink. Crystallised rosemary can be prepared by dipping the herb’s sprigs in sugar for an additional decorative touch.
Drink responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
