Move over, salads. There's a new way to consume vegetables, but it's probably not what your mother had in mind.
Instead of ordering veggies from the food menu, patrons are discovering that it's more fun to drink them. For bartenders, the basic formula is easy.
Step one: Pick a fresh veggie.
Step two: Add booze.
Finally, embellish the drink with signature touches — infuse the basic concoctions with bitters and herbs, sparkling wines and aperitifs.
"In the summer, we have so many different vegetables to work with," said Robb Jones, the bar director at Spoon and Stable and Bellecour. "This is the time to celebrate these things that we don't have access to year-round — when they're at their prime."
Talk about putting the "bar" in salad bar. As this garden-to-glass movement takes hold, here are four fresh, flavorful drinks to try.
Southside
