A love letter to herbs & Verdita Margarita

We've said it once, and we'll say it again: summer produce shines in its natural form. Its beauty lies in not having to do much to achieve flavor perfection: good olive oil and flaky salt, and you'll certainly have something tasty. But we believe to our core that to achieve supreme summer dining, fresh herbs are a MUST.

To clarify, we use herbs year-round. Actually, that doesn't do it justice. We live for herbs. In fact, we sometimes have to reel it in a bit…like not every dish needs to be topped with an herb medley (but in our perfect world, they all are). But nothing makes a dish really sing quite like fresh herbs. And what better embodiment of our summer-produce soapbox than herbs? Because guess what: they're perfect as they are. What a win! You need not fuss one bit with a bunch of mint or some sprigs of thyme: they were born this way, baby! Just throw them on top and you're sure to wow yourself and your friends.

A few examples of what you could do: mint, dill, and parsley torn into a bright, crunchy salad. Chives to top jammy eggs. Cilantro, mint, and scallions piled on a grilled shrimp tostada. Basil tossed with stone fruit. Thyme or marjoram sprinkled over sliced tomatoes. Verbena to garnish a grilled peach. And, of course, cilantro and mint in our Verdita Margarita.

A small sample of how we've used herbs:

We hosted our first Sprouting gathering just over a year ago. To kick off the evening, we welcomed guests with our version of a Verdita Margarita. Think bright, refreshing, and a bit spicy with a sweet, herbaceous zing. It's all that, plus visually stunning with its lively green hue. The Verdita set the tone for a jubilant, talkative, fulfilling evening that we will always remember as the unexpected start of Sprouting.

We hope you reach for this recipe the next time you wish to linger over an outdoor meal, or worship at the altar of fresh herbs…or when you need to encourage a group of strangers to get comfortable with each other prettyyyy quickly (thank you, tequila).

Cheers,

Kat + Camilla

Verdita Margarita

1 serving

Ingredients

2 oz tequila 

1½ oz verdita (see recipe below)

1 tsp agave

⅛ tsp salt

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker.

2. Stir and taste for your desired sweetness and saltiness.

3. Fill with ice, shake well. 

4. Pour into your favorite glass.

* This recipe works great as a batch cocktail: combine all of the ingredients. Place into a pitcher or large bunch bowl. Serve over ice. 

** For a nonalcoholic version: omit tequila, combine remaining ingredients and top with your favorite sparkling water. 

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Verdita

makes enough for ~8 margaritas

Ingredients 

1½ cups chopped cucumber

1½ cup pineapple 

½ cup fresh lime juice

¼ cup mint - packed

2 tbsp cilantro - packed

1 jalapeno - remove half of the seeds*

Preparation

1. Blend/juice all ingredients. 

2. Strain through a sieve, using a spoon to encourage the juice to fall through. The more patience you have, the more juice you’ll extract.

3. Use within 24 hours for freshness and color.  

* Remove all seeds for less spice; skip the jalapeno all together if you want no spice.