Bring on the Herbs!: Notes from the Garden Bar

By Kim Haasarud / Photography By Alexandra Grablewski | Last Updated February 15, 2020

Spring means it’s time to get those herbs planted! The great advantage of planting herbs in the Valley is that we can grow them early in the season and just about anywhere. Herbs liven up almost any cocktail or drink by adding another layer of flavor and depth. Personally, I like them paired with gin and tequila. Those spirits already have some botanical, grassy and herbaceous flavors, and so herbs go naturally with them.

There are a variety of ways to get the flavor of herbs into cocktails: infusing to make a syrup, muddling and garnishing —all great ways. I’m going to give you a few tips on some tried-and-true techniques and best practices for incorporating these wonderful garden staples into your drinks.

INFUSING

Think of herbs like a tea. You can incorporate them into the flavor of a cocktail by “steeping” the herbs in a hot liquid for a short amount of time. However, unlike other fruits or vegetables you might infuse overnight, herbs can become bitter and turn black/brown if steeped or left in a liquid for too long, so watch your timing.

Below is a recipe using arugula (technically a lettuce, not an herb, but the methodology is the same). Arugula is a great addition to a cocktail that adds a little spiciness to a drink.

MUDDLING & GARNISHING

Muddling is the technique of gently pressing the herbs with a tool (called a muddler) to release its natural oils. One of the biggest mistakes I see bartenders do is over-muddling mint or other herbs. They pulverize them, which just makes the drinks bitter.

The most classic muddled cocktail is the mint julep—and one I see butchered ALL THE TIME—even at the Kentucky Derby! I was in Louisville recently and saw a big mural at the airport that featured this signature cocktail … and it was saddest-looking julep, with very little ice and an itty-bitty mint sprig.

The following cocktail is a very simple recipe that is all about technique and making sure you use the mint properly for muddling and garnishing. A proper julep needs to be bright and topped with loads of mint. If you plan on making a lot of these, I don’t recommend buying mint at your grocery store, as most stores just sell them in those small packs. Grow mint in your backyard or buy it in bulk at a farmers market. (Tip: You can buy herbs in 1-pound increments at some of the retail chef stores like US Foods in Tempe, or from farms like Singh Farms. One year, I bought four pounds at Singh Farms and they had several varieties including pineapple, chocolate and apple.)