Foraging for Borage

Ok, that title is pretty much a lie, as the forage in our case means go out into the backyard and grab some, but that's just part of what makes this new cocktail creation from last evening a spring is sprung delight. Borage can either be good for you or bad for you (anti-inflammatory and good for PMS or bad for your liver, but you're drinking anyway, so moderation, my friend!) depending on who you believe or what part you eat (flowers ok, leaves not so much). The blooms certainly are a beautiful addition to a drink, and even add a bit of a cucumber taste (Pimms once was made partially from borage flower).

If you're worried that maybe some bugs came in on the blooms and that's what's afloat in the glasses in the photo, you shouldn't, for that's some mint, also fresh-cut from the backyard too. And then that's a lithe little lemon twist for both essential oil zippiness and yet more color. Not to mention you might be lucky and have lemons in your yard, too, or hanging over a neighbor's fence or something.

Let me introduce to you, then, the All the Rage Cocktail:

2 oz. citrus vodka
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 oz. Citronge/Cointreau
the leaves from a healthy stem of mint
lemon twist
2 borage flowers

In a cocktail shaker rip up the mint leaves and add 1 oz. of the vodka. Muddle thoroughly to get the mint to express some of its oils. Add the rest of the vodka, the lemon juice, and the Citronge. Add ice and shake vigorously. Pour into an up cocktail glass. Add the lemon twist and float the 2 borage flowers.