Melinda's Garden Moment Video
Melinda Myers
Nationally known gardening expert, TV/Radio host, author & columnist with over 30 years of horticulture experience and tons of gardening information to share! www.melindamyers.comMelinda's Garden Moment videos will help you create that beautiful landscape you’ve always wanted. Each week throughout the growing season, a new gardening video will be added right here, so be sure to stop back. You can also watch Melinda’s Garden Moments on your local network TV station affiliate.
Add some homegrown flavor to your favorite cocktail or non-alcoholic beverage.
Surprise your guests with an edible lovage (Levisticum officinale) straw. This perennial herb grows 5 feet tall and has hollow celery flavored stems. Use it to sip a bloody Mary, for pesto or to flavor soups and stews.
Flavor simple syrups, infuse your own bitters or steep the dried lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) leaves into a tea. Add some panache to your beverages with a lemongrass stir stick.
Sweeten your beverages with fresh stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) leaves. Use them to create a simple syrup, seep into tea or muddle with other herbs to flavor your drinks.
Don’t relegate your sage to meat dishes and stuffing, include it in your favorite drinks. Add some color to your garden, container and drinks with tricolor sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’). It has the same flavor as the green leafed sage. Or add a sweeter tangy twist with pineapple sage (Salvia elegans).
A bit more information: Harvest a few extra sprigs of basil to include in your favorite beverages. It combines nicely with lemonade, lime, cucumber or muddle it with sugar for a unique flavored mojito. Just a sprig of basil can dress up any drink and add a subtle hint of flavor.