It’s cocktail thyme!

It’s cocktail thyme!

With summer comes wearing less and drinking more. Crickets are out in force (not just the insect variety!) and people are vacating crowded urban areas in search of a slice of summer serenity. Whether it’s at the bach, crib or camp ground, Kiwis love nothing more than kicking back and entertaining family and friends. What better way to do so than with cocktails (or mocktails) and nibbles on hand?

Spearmint, rosemary, thyme and basil sounds more like the flavouring of a Sunday roast than a summer cocktail but don’t be fooled. Fresh herbs can add that ‘knockout’ factor to many drinks.

Not only are herbs great in beverages they also make delicious summer dips and spreads. Basil is a favourite of many, and when turned into pesto tastes great mixed with pasta, on its own as a dip, or provides the perfect canapé base for nibbles to accompany your summer cocktails.

So this month’s article will focus on growing your own herbs, and using two age old favourites, basil and mint, to make summer drinks and nibbles for the whole family to enjoy.

Awapuni Nurseries’ Traditional Value and Pop ‘n’ Grow seedling ranges include just about every herb you can imagine. The choice is yours, but if you’re looking to make classic mojitos and pesto, be sure to pick up a basil and mint seedling bundle from your local supermarket, Warehouse or Bunnings Store.

And don’t let the weather cooling down stop you from enjoying your favourite herbs. The great thing about herbs is that you can plant many of them all year round. You’ll always find one to suit the season.

Herbs tend to be at their happiest when planted in full sun amongst the vege garden. They thrive in the garden’s mulched and fertilised ground.

Don’t have a garden? Just use any type of container, pot, planter or hanging basket. When planting in containers or pots use a top quality potting mix as soil is variable and often doesn’t drain adequately when used in pots and containers.

Dig a hole (approximately 3cms deep) and place your seedling inside.

Cover the roots with soil and add a general fertiliser, such as nitrophoska blue, to the soil surrounding the seedlings. Nitrophoska blue is high in potassium providing a good balanced diet for fruit, flower and leaf growth.

If planting in the garden, layer newspaper around your plants, and then cover the newspaper with peastraw.  This homemade mulch will prevent your seedlings drying out during the day and in between watering sessions.

Not only are herbs great for food and drinks, but some can also be used as companion plants for other herbs, vegetables, flowers and surrounding plants. Companion planting is when you plant different crop varieties in close proximity to help with pest control, flowering, pollination and nutrient uptake. 

Good companion plants, such as basil and garlic, give off a strong fragrance, which can disguise the smell of surrounding plants keeping insects and pests at bay.

In around four to six weeks your herbs should be ripe for the picking. Grab around eight mint leaves and a good few handfuls of basil and you’re ready to make classic mojitos and Italian pesto!

Fill a large glass, half full with crushed ice and add the mint leaves. Add around 30 ml of lime juice (either freshly squeezed or lime flavoured cordial is fine).

Gently mash the mint leaves together with your mixture using a spoon or pestle while keeping the leaves in tact (nobody likes floaties in their drink). Fill your glass with more ice and then top up with soda water or lemonade. Garnish with extra mint and you’re ready to go. For an R18 version add vodka or white rum to taste.

Pesto is easy to make and will only take you a couple of minutes. It is traditionally made with pine nuts, but you can use walnuts as a substitute if you prefer.

Turn your blender on and drop two tablespoons of coarsely chopped pine nuts in. Once finely minced turn off the blender, add three tablespoons of olive oil and pulse four times.

Add four cups of your homegrown basil leaves, ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese, and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the blender. Mix until finely minced. This should provide you with ¾ cup of traditional pesto. Serve, refrigerate leftovers and enjoy!

Tod Palenski – Awapuni Nurseries

Ends…/

© Scoop Media