Herbs pairing flavours- Herbalist Mixology
n Tasting notes: The whole plant is aromatic. When rubbed, young stalks and leaves have a sweet, musky scent; the taste is musky and bittersweet, slightly earthy, and warm, with notes of celery, anise, and juniper. The flowers have a honeyed fragrance.
n Combines well with: almonds, apricots, hazelnuts, oranges, plums, rhubarb, and strawberries.
n Tasting notes: The whole plant has a distinctive citrus aroma. The flavour is citrus with an added warm, spicy note. Flowers are more delicately flavoured than the leaves.
n Combines well with: apples, kiwi fruit, melon, citrus fruits, papaya, and strawberries.
n Tasting Notes: The leaves are sweetly aromatic, with hints of pine, anise, or liquorice; the flavour is strong yet subtle, with spicy anise and basil notes and a sweetish aftertaste.
n Syrup can be made from Tarragon, or muddling the herb
n Combines well with: citrus fruits, chocolate, basil, tomato juice.
n Tasting Notes: very aromatic when crushed young leaves. Leaves are pleasantly pungent flavour backed by strong notes of menthol and citrus. Also slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy with a fresh cool aftertaste. Leaves can be used to make infusions and syrups.
n Combines well with: Limes and lemons, apples, chocolate, mint, honey
n Tasting notes: Sweet basil has a complex sweet, spicy aroma with notes of clove and anise. The flavour is warm peppery and clove like with underlying mint and anise tones.
n Other basil varieties: Purple basil, Bush basil, lettuce basil, and “Ruffles basils, Cinnamon basil, African blue basil, Thai basil, Holy basil, Liquorice basil, Lemon basil, Lime basil.
nCombines well with: Lemons and limes, tomatoes, mint, cinnamon.
n Tasting Notes: Spearmint is mellow and refreshing, with a sweet sharp, pleasantly pungent flavour backed by hints of lemon. Peppermint has pronounced menthol notes and a fiery bite, yet is also slightly sweet, tangy, and spicy with a fresh cool aftertaste.
n Other mint Varieties: Moroccan mint, Bowles mint, Apple mint, Chocolate mint, Black peppermint, Mountain mint, Pineapple mint, Basil mint, Tashkent mint, Corn mint, Grapefruit mint, Ginger mint, Pennyroyal, Lemon mint, Lime mint.
n Tasting Notes: Lemon Verbena as an intense, fresh lemon aroma. The taste echoes the aroma but is less strong; it is more lemony than a lemon, but lacks the tartness. The aroma of dried leaves is retained for up to a year.
n Combines well with: apricots, lemons and limes, mint, coriander.
n Tasting Notes: Lavender has a penetrating, sweetly floral, and spicy aroma with lemon and mint notes; the taste echoes the aroma with undertones of camphor and a touch of bitterness in the aftertaste. The flowers have the strongest fragrance, but leaves can also be used.
n Can be used as syrup.
n Combines well with: Blackberries, blueberries, cherries, damsons, mulberries, plums, strawberries, rhubarb.
n Tasting Notes: Leaves, roots, and unripe seeds all have the same aroma. Some people are addicted to its refreshing lemony-ginger aroma wit notes of sage; others hate it and find it soapy and disagreeable. The flavour is delicate yet complex, with a suggestion of pepper, mint, and lemon.
n Combines well with: Avocados, coconut milk, cucumber, lemons and limes, lemon grass, mint, ginger.
n Tasting Notes: When crushed the young leaves have a fresh, lingering, lemon scent and a mild lemon-mint flavour. The aroma is subtle and pleasant, and not as penetrating as that of lemon verbena or lemongrass.
Combines well with: apples, apricots, melons, peaches, figs and summer berries
n Tasting Notes: Strongly aromatic, warm and peppery, resinous and slightly bitter, with notes of pine and camphor. Nutmeg and camphor are present in the taste; the aftertaste is woody, balsamic, and astringent. The flavour dissipates after leaves are cut. Flowers have a milder flavour than leaves.
n Combines well with: apricots, oranges, tomatoes.
n Tasting notes: The flavour is refreshingly tart, clean and citrus-like with peppery notes. Freeze-dried lemongrass keeps its aroma quit well, but air-dried lemon grass loses its volatile oils; grated lemon rind gives more flavour than dried lemongrass.
n Combines well with: peaches, pears and other fruits, ginger, chillies, cucumber, cinnamon, coconut milk.
n Tasting Notes: The aroma is strong but mellow, fruity, and penetrating. The taste is lemony and flowery, with a note of camphor or eucalyptus due to cineole in the essential oil; it is pungent and smoky, with a warm, bittersweet note, yet is also clean and fresh.
n Combines well with: apples, oranges, pears, coffee.
n Tasting Notes: Fresh vanilla pods have no aroma or taste. After fermentation they develop a rich, mellow, intensely perfumed aroma with hints of liquorice or tobacco matched by a delicate, sweetly fruity or creamy flavour. There may also be hints of raisin or prune, or smoky, spicy notes.
n Could be used as a syrup
Combines well with: apples, melon, peaches, rhubarb strawberries













