How to make herbal sugars for rimming
August 7, 2014 -- Published by Tara Shinn
We all know how a cinnamon sugar rim can take a fresh apple-tini to a new level- so why stop there? Using dried herbs to make herbal sugars is super easy, and will take classics to a whole new level! Let get started:
Add a few pinches of dried herb to a mortar (or spice grinder if you have one). Only have fresh herbs? No problem- check out the last post on How to Dry Herbs from the Growing a Cocktail Garden series. You can use any dried herb you like, but here I used rosemary.
Grind the herb into a fine powder- you want the end result to be about the size of sugar granules so they will blend together.
Add sugar and grind again to blend. Feel free to play around and see what proportions you prefer- sometimes you may only want a hint of extra flavor for the sugar, but for simple cocktails that need a bold touch you can use up to a 50/50 mix like the one pictured. Store your herbal sugar in an airtight container for up to 6 months before the herbs start losing their flavor, or try them out right away!
To perfectly rim a glass with your herbal sugar, pour just enough of it to cover one tray of a cocktail rimmer (f you don’t have one just use a small plate or saucer), and another with simple syrup (1 part sugar dissolved in 1 part hot water, then cooled). Place whatever glass you would like to rim in the tray of simple syrup and gently rotate to ensure even coverage, the repeat in the sugar. Place it aside to dry a bit while you prepare your cocktail.
What kinds of cocktails go well with herbal sugar rims? Lemondrop martinis are an excellent choice for summer (Click here for some great recipes!), as is anything citrusy (like a cosmopolitan) or crisp (Clique and soda water) but the possibilities are endless! Don’t just stick to rosemary either! Try using different blends of herbs, or try 2 different sugars on 1 cocktail to test out different flavor combinations. Other great herbs to use in herbal sugars include: dill, oregano, thyme, mint, sage or basil. Try experimenting and don’t forget to tag those Instagram photos with #CliqueShots to win!