How-To Guides

Learning how to use fresh ingredients in cocktail recipes is what takes your drinks from basic to memorable. Most people think you can just throw herbs or flowers into a cocktail and call it done, but there’s actually technique involved.

Some herbs need to be muddled, others should be infused into simple syrups, and a few should only be used as cocktail garnishes because their flavor is too intense. These guides break down exactly how to work with each ingredient, so you’re not wasting money on herbs that go bad or flowers that taste like soap.

I grow most of these ingredients in my own garden, which means I’ve learned through trial and error what actually works in drinks.

I’m showing you how to use basil without making your drink taste like pesto, how to add lavender without it tasting like perfume, and which edible flowers are worth using versus which ones are just pretty but useless (or poisonous!).

Whether you’re making spring cocktails with fresh herbs or autumn cocktails with warming spices, these how-to guides will help you understand the ingredients before you start mixing.

Herbs in Cocktails

Herbs

Spices for Cocktails

Spices

Berries for Cocktails

Fruits

Edible Flowers

Flowers

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