Forager’s Cocktails: Botanical Mixology with Fresh Ingredients

1 cup (80g) violet flowers

In a saucepot, simmer the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add the flower petals, and simmer 5 to 7 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to a sealed container, and refrigerate for up to a month.

Wild violets © Shutterstock

WELCOME WAGON (#ulink_4a1fefc0-8d71-58d2-9435-680faa5f4911)

The pineapple likely became a symbol of hospitality from the days when this coniferous fruit was brought on merchant vessels near and far. But the pineapple weed actually has more in common with its close cousin chamomile (for which it is sometimes mistaken, sans the petals) than it does with the spiny, tropical fruit in its name. It does, however, smell an awful lot like pineapple. As to the weed part of its title—well, one man’s weed is another’s delicious cocktail ingredient.

5 mint leaves

¾ ounce (22ml) pineapple weed syrup*

2 ounces (60ml) vodka

Club soda

1 sprig of pineapple weed or mint, for garnish

Drop the mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker, drizzle in a little of the pineapple weed syrup, and gently muddle. Fill the cocktail shaker half-full with ice, and pour in the vodka and the rest of the syrup. Shake for 25 to 30 seconds. Strain slowly into an ice-filled Collins glass or frosted tin cup. Top with club soda, and garnish with a sprig of pineapple weed or mint.

*Pineapple Weed Syrup

¾ cup (150g) sugar

1 cup (235ml) water

1 cup (80g) fresh pineapple weed, tops only

In a saucepot, gently simmer the sugar and water over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar starts to dissolve. Add the pineapple weed, and simmer, stirring, for 7 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to a sealed container, and refrigerate for up to a month.

NOTE: Also known as wild chamomile, pineapple weed can be difficult to find outside of North America and Northeast Asia. However, this simple recipe is an excellent chance to exercise your creativity. Experiment with different flavored syrups to see what suits your taste buds as a complement to delicious fresh mint and vodka. Ginger? Or even the more savory rosemary or sage? Perhaps a unique twist featuring local ingredients? The choices are endless!

Pineapple weed © iStockphoto

THE SWEET SMELL OF TORTURE (#ulink_e7258402-6551-5382-bf10-5fd9f52be6ef)

Its sharp, peppery, mildly sour aroma and taste earned this plant the Latin name Nasturtium officianale—nose torture. But don’t let that scare you off! Wild watercress is delicious. It also happens to be jam-packed with lots of vitamins and is a super-healthy green for the picking in much of Europe, Asia, and all over North America. I like combining it in the glass with the giddy-sweet tropical taste of fresh pineapple juice and a complementary dousing of tequila—a spirit that tends to have a vegetal, peppery note.

¼ cup (15g) wild watercress

1 ounce (30ml) pineapple juice

½ ounce (15ml) freshly squeezed lime juice

½ ounce (15ml) Cointreau

2 ounces (60ml) 100% blue agave reposado tequila

Pickled jalapeño or nasturtium leaf, for garnish

Drop the watercress into the bottom of a cocktail shaker, drizzle in a little of the pineapple juice, and gently muddle. Fill the cocktail shaker half-full with ice, and pour in the rest of the pineapple juice, lime juice, Cointreau, and tequila. Shake for 25 to 30 seconds. Strain slowly into an ice-filled double rocks glass. Garnish with a pickled jalapeño or nasturtium leaf.