It’s my pleasure to be hosting the 73rd Mixology Monday here at Cardiff Cocktails, with the herbaceous theme Witches’ Garden. As far back as we can look, the use of fresh herbs have been prevalent in the world of mixed drinks. From the early days of the julep, through Williams Terrington’s 19th century Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks, to Don the Beachcomber’s ahead of their time Tiki drinks, fresh herbs have always been at the forefront of mixology. So lets take influence from the bartenders that once ruled the world of mixology, raid your herb garden that too often gets neglected, and start mixing. I don’t want to put too many limits on this theme so get as creative as you please, want to use roots, spices or beans as well? Sure thing. Want to make your own herbal infusions or tinctures? Sounds wonderful. Here’s how to participate.
1. Create or find a drink which utilises the use of fresh herbs (or barks, roots, beans etc).There’s plenty to play with here, be it mint, basil, rosemary or thyme, or something further a field such as balm, verbena, angelica, or eucalyptus, so get mixing!
2. Make your drink and post it on your Blog, or on egullet’s spirit and cocktail’s forum if you don’t have one, with a picture, the recipe list, and any thoughts on the drink or theme.
3. Add the MxMo logo to your post with a link to the Mixology Monday website, and one to Cardiff Cocktails
4. Lastly comment on this post, with a link to your entry, or you can email me at holmeandpub(at)hotmail.co.uk or tweet me on twitter @markholmes16. Do all this by monday night 20th may before midnight.
So open up your newly bought Drunken Botanist book, get creative and have fun! Cheers, Mark.
Cardiff Cocktails 
Sweet new blog/theme, Mark! I’m looking forward to watching you build it up from your tumblr. I have no idea what I’m going to make but I’m sure it’ll be weird.
I look forward to seeing it Raul. To be honest I’m struggling with word press so far, it doesn’t seem too iPad friendly! Ill get there tho.
the ipad app is shit. no 2 ways about it. but its bad for when you’re setting things up in the beginning. once you have a routine, the app/site becomes much better. Let me know if you have questions about wp posts. i know I had a bunch in the beginning.
I’m looking forward to this one Mark. So many possibilities, so we should see some great submissions. Cheers!
I look forward to seeing yours. Your Auchentoshan switch is great, I’ve just finished mine for the European entries, will be posting it up soon.
First timer here, and apparently a bit of an early bird:
http://discoginferno.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/mixology-monday-lxxiii-jack-dandy/
Thanks for hosting!
This looks great, love you twisted a blackjack, now that’s a forgot classic. Move over expresso martini.
Mark, great theme. It was a lot of fun and has given me more ideas to play with later. Meanwhile I’ve got a tarragon twofer this month:
Summer Abroad: http://wp.me/p32aDd-1fy
The Green Orchard: http://wp.me/p32aDd-1fB
Cheers nick, both entries look great!
Check out the Tobago Shipwreck, a great semi-summer sparkler.
http://pyratxo.blogspot.com/2013/05/tobago-shipwreck.html
I want that syrup…
great theme dude, here’s my entry
http://theshorterstraw.wordpress.com/2013/05/16/rosemary-glory-for-mxmo-lxiii/
Thanks for the kind word Raffaele! Fantastic looking drink, and what a fantastic looking view from your house, I’m moving to Italy.
Hi Mark
Here is my entry dedicated to Southside and Southside Fizz.
http://maltypuppy.com/lang/en-en/2013/05/mixmo-lxxiii-witches-garden-southside/
Thanks for the wonderful idea and for hosting, of course.
Regards,
Alex
Two for one, thanks Alex, these are perfect!
Mark, here’s my entry:
http://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2013/05/sagerac.html
Cheers, Fred
Fred this is my favourite drink and one of my favourite herbs, ill be mixing this up tonight for sure!
Also catnip!? I had no idea you could eat it!
Our entry for this month. The Clark Kent. http://wp.me/p2Kswh-eb Garlic chives, gin and hot pepper vodka.
Awesome, didn’t think anyone would use chives! Plus your right, those flowers look great
Hey there, Mark — thanks for hosting!
Here’s my entry: http://temperedspirits.com/2013/05/19/mxmo-lxxiii-bay-laurel-from-the-witches-garden/
“Destination Rome” and “All Glory is Fleeting,” making use of Bay Laurel-Honey Syrup and Cinnamon Tincture. Cheers!
I don’t know what excites me more, the bay infused honey syrup, the fact you named it after the Allman Brothers or that you have REAL peach brandy (I’ve wanted some peach eau de vie to age myself for so long now). I love this, thanks Ian
Here’s my entry for this month: http://stirandstrain.com/2013/05/19/mixology-monday-fruit-dagger-cocktail/
Thanks for hosting Mark!
Great challenge when your herb garden was frozen not that long ago:
http://ginhound.blogspot.dk/2013/05/mixology-monday-balmy-rhubarb.html
Thanks for hosting, Mark!
Hi Mark! LOVED this month’s theme! You can mind my entry here: http://neighborhoodkitchensf.com/blog/2013/5/19/fgvhbjnkml
Thanks for hosting, Mark! Here are my entries for the month:
http://concoctails.com/2013/05/20/the-walkabout-and-thai-phoon/
Hi Mark. Great theme! Thanks for hosting. Here is our entry:
http://putneyfarm.com/2013/05/20/mixology-monday-lxxiii-cocktail-the-strawberry-witch/
Hi Mark, here is my entry, cheers!
Scott
http://shakestrainandsip.com/2013/05/20/smashingly-good-time/
Hope this isn’t too late: a humble little mint-and-strawberry gem, with carbonated chair green tea: http://feu-de-vie.blogspot.com/2013/05/mixology-monday-may-2013-witches-garden.html
Cheers and thanks for hosting!
I made it! Fashionably late to this party, but still. Here you go compadre:
Elysium
Hey Mark…great theme, sorry for the late entry but glad I got it in…here’s my contribution and thanks much – http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2013/05/thyme-for-mxmo.html
Mark, here is my humble offering (I posted it this morning, but all the samples went my head.)
I had an equipment glitch on Sunday and failed to get back to you in time yesterday– but as we may never fit your theme again, I wanted you to know about our chartreuse experiments. Very successful– and we,re hooked!!
http://foothillsfancies.blogspot.com/2013/01/cordials-as-botanical-adventure.html
I,ll try to keep better tabs on MxMo in case we can participate sometime!
This is epic. I’ll include it still!
I have no idea how this was not posted here . . . Perhaps a bit heavy on the samples . . .(Just guessing, who knows with this crazy interweb . . .)
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Mixology Monday!
It is here. The ‘Witches Garden’ . . . .
Mark you are correct: “fresh herbs have always been at the forefront of mixology. So lets take influence from the bartenders that once ruled the world of mixology, raid your herb garden that too often gets neglected, and start mixing.”
So I did. My new love affair is VALLET . . . It is Mexican Fernet and Amargo (the amargo is so delish, at 90 Proof-wow!). So to make my ‘Sexy-Mexi’ I took 2 part Mina Real Reposado, 1 Part Amargo VALLET, added the mint leaves (that I cut from my neighbors mint plant – fresh) trimmed a stalk and shook the booze and the mint with ice.
I poured the ‘Sexy-Mexi’ into a chilled glass and put the ‘slapped’ mint rosette /crest on top as a garnish (basically the top that was left from the stalk. . . ).
Unfortunately, I ate the mint before I took the picture (sorry, it smelled so yummy).