This year, we’re growing two types of lemon balm in our distillery garden, and all of sudden one of the plants is going crazy. So, we’re working on some fun cocktails with it that highlight it’s intriguing lemon-y flavor profile.
Like many herbs we use (basil, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme), lemon balm is a member of the mint family. We use lemon balm in a couple of the spirits we make here, and it has many other culinary and medicinal applications.
Here are a couple of great cocktails you can make with lemon balm (feel free to substitute a different herb into either one, it’ll still be great!):
Lemon Balm Smash
2 oz North Shore Gin No. 11
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Plain or Demerara Simple
10 leaves Fresh Lemon Balm
Shake with ice, then fine strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a sprig of lemon balm.
Summer Tonic
2 oz North Shore Gin No. 6
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Balm Infused Simple
Tonic Water
Fill a large glass with ice, add gin, lemon juice and simple. Top with tonic water and stir, then garnish with leaves of lemon balm, a lemon slice in the glass and a lemon wedge on the rim.
