Want to impress your guests at your next summer soiree?
Instead of serving the same-old drinks, you could shake up some garden-fresh ones, made from ingredients picked from your plot.
Cocktails are on the menu at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which is offering a new class, "Garden in a Glass Cocktails," taught by cooking instructor and cookbook author Kris James. "It fits in with the artisanal cocktail trend," James said.
Featured drinks will include Lemon Verbena Gimlet, Strawberry-Basil Martini, Berry-Thyme Cooler, Cilantro Rouge and Ruby Cooler (made from hibiscus, cherries and lychee fruit). All will feature Minnesota-grown ingredients (with the exception of the lychee), harvested from the Arboretum or James' own garden, she said.
The class was developed to offer gardeners creative uses for their herbs, James said. "People don't really know what to do with them, or what else they can put them in."
Those who attend will get herbs to take home, as well as snacks and sips of the featured drinks. But the party won't get too hearty. The drinks will be prepared as "mocktails," sans alcohol, although they can easily be spiked when prepared at home, James said. "Vodka would be a great choice."
The "Garden in a Glass Cocktails" class will be held 9-11 a.m. July 31 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Learning Center. The cost is $30 for members, $40 for nonmembers. Class size is limited to 20. To register, call 952-443-1422, or visit www.arboretum.umn.edu.
