Handcraft Cocktails from the Garden

Having natural ingredients growing in your backyard (or your spa’s garden) is not only helpful and healthful, but also delicious. Without any harmful pesticides, homegrown ingredients are more flavorful and nutritious. While mixing those ingredients in your food is the obvious thing to do, why not craft fresh cocktails instead? These cocktails can be made from the garden with vine-ripened produce and healthful herbs. Don't stop there, learn more about the benefits of spiked spa treatments and how to complement skincare services with alcoholic sips.

Garden Essentials (From Essensia The Palms Hotel & Spa)

Ingredients

• 1 Campari tomato
• 2 basil leaves
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1.5 oz. of Crop Vodka
• .75 oz. of lemon juice
• .5 oz. of Simple
• .25 oz. of Aperol
• Orange peel

Steps:

1. Muddle 1 Campari tomato, basil and salt (a light pinch).
2. Add all other ingredients (exclude for décor basil leaves and orange peel).
3. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 6 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass.
4. Peel about 8 inches or more from an orange. Then roll tightly to form a bud. When an ideal rose shape is formed stab a bamboo pick through all layers to keep in place. Wedge one to two small basil leaves to give it a more rose like quality.

Grass Clippings (From Essensia The Palms Hotel & Spa)

Ingredients

• 1 cilantro leaf
• 3 English cucumbers
• 1 pinch of black lava salt
• 1.5 oz. of Dobel Tequila
• .75 oz. lime juice
• .5 oz. Simple syrup
• .25 oz. Acho Reyes

Steps:

1. Add all solids in a mixing glass and muddle vigorously.
2. Add all liquid ingredients, fill with ice, and shake vigorously for 6 seconds.
3. Place the center of the cilantro leaf to align with the center of the rocks glass.
4. Over-fill with ice so the leaf lines the perimeter of the glass.
5. Single strain into the rocks glass and sprinkle the salt on the protruding ice cubes (top off with ice if needed).

Smoke Fashion (From Circa 39 Hotel Wunder Bar)

Ingredients

• 2 oz. of Bourbon
• .5 oz. of Sweet Vermouth
• .25 oz. of maple syrup
• 2 dashes of Amargo Valet/Angostura Bitters
• orange peel (garnish)

Steps:

1. Torch the center of a maple board and trap the flame in an upside down rocks glass. The flame will extinguish itself and the glass will be “smoked.”
2. Add all liquid ingredients into a mixing glass (beaker style).
3. Fill with ice and stir 20 times.
4. Turn the glass right side up and add ice. Pour the drink.
5. Peel orange zest and squeeze the ends together facing the glass allowing the oils from the orange to give the drink another aromatic layer.
6. Smell the aroma before your first sip.

Oriental Crush (From Circa 39 Hotel Wunder Bar)

Ingredients

• 8-10 mint leaves
• 1 teaspoon of super fine sugar
• 1 oz. White Aged Rum
• .5 oz. Yuzu Juice
• .5 oz. Elderflower Liqueur (St. Germaine)
• .5 oz. Simple Syrup
• 2 oz. Prosecco

Steps:

1. Muddle mint leaves and superfine sugar in a mixing glass to create a paste.
2. Combine all ingredients together except the Prosecco.
3. Fill with ice and shake vigorously and methodically for 6 seconds.
4. Double strain into a rocks glass with ice.
5. Float 2 oz. of Prosecco. Wedge a large mint leaf between ice and glass rim.
6. Take a large sip to get both layers; the effervescent prosecco and the crisply sweet and tart bottom layer.