Recipe with borage

Borage cocktail

Ingredients: borage leaves, vodka or gin, club soda or tonic (optional), borage flowers

Borage plant

Preparing: Rip up some borage leaves into a cocktail shaker (or muddle them for more flavor). Add the alcohol of your choice and shake.

Drinking: Strain the cocktail straight for a borage-tini and garnish with borage flowers and a thin lemon round. Or mix with club soda or tonic for a refreshing mixed drink.

Drink history: We read in our Seymour book that borage leaves have a "cooling effect" in drinks. With our master-drink-maker friend visiting, we decided to give them a try in our cocktails. If muddled, they produce a very green drink; just shaking in a shaker with ice might still produce the same taste effect, but the drink will be a milder color. The smell and taste are both very cucumber-like. You could also try to use them while making a simple syrup or leave them in alcohol or tea or water to steep for a few days.