Herbs: a natural - and tasty - solution to life's problems
Kanye West is no stranger to criticism.
In a career built on as many gasps as Grammys, the enigmatic rapper has risen to the top despite his brash persona – one that’s fueled the backlash of peers, fans and occasionally the public at large.
Still, even the resilient West couldn’t have prepared the latest attack, this time from President Barack Obama. After West hijacked singer Taylor Swift’s MTV Awards speech, the President offhandedly referred to him as a ‘jackass’ before an interview.
It takes a certain degree of mistake to draw an insult from the Commander-in-Chief. Following reports that he’d spent a good deal of the evening with a bottle of Hennessey, the crestfallen West tried to apologize for his actions by telling Jay Leno that he wanted to “take some time off” to analyze how he’s “going to improve.”
There’s been no shortage of pundits who’ve blamed the booze for West’s outburst. But for someone who once told the world, “I smoke, I drink, I’m supposed to stop, I can’t,” perhaps ‘improving’ the next drink is a first step toward improving the man.
Herbal-infused spirits and liqueurs have been around for centuries, but the craft-distilling trend has brought forth a number of unique products in recent years.
While they certainly can’t stop West from committing another gaffe, they can deliver deep, bold flavors while preserving some of the relaxing and calming qualities of their base herbs. It’s an interesting proposition, and one that could change the way people think of drinking.
That possibility is clear to Lata Chettri-Kennedy, an herbalist and president of East Village apothecary Flower Power. She spends her days studying the intrinsic qualities of herbs, and has seen their benefits translated into the world of spirits and liqueurs.
“If you walk by a bodega and see flowers, don’t you feel happy? Looking at them alone can relieve sadness,” Chettri-Kennedy said. “So of course they’re great when they’re ingested.”
She said the properties that make herbs so special aren’t sacrificed at the expense of a good drink. In fact, she called alcohol a perfect menstruum, or medium for extracting the herbs’ virtues by infusion.
“A lot of the constituents of herbs are alcohol soluble,” she said. “It’s wonderful what (herbal-infused) alcohol can do for people.”
She’s already seen a number of traditionally calming and relaxing herbs used in drinking. Although she invites her customers to try home-infusions to enjoy an herbal cocktail, many of her placid plants can be poured straight from the bottle:
LOFT Lavender Cello Organic Liqueur
This liqueur was inspired by the classic sweetness of Limoncello, but derives its flavor from organic lavender grown in Washington State. It’s known to be the favorite among the diverse Cello line for LOFT president and founder Lisa Averbuch.
From Chettri-Kennedy: “Lavender is completely relaxing. It’s calming and so soothing to the nervous system. It’s absolutely delightful.”
Available at Borisal Liquor & Wine, Morrell Wine and Co., Vintage Grape, Columbus Wines and Spirits and Astor Wine & Spirits; priced between $27.99 and $34.99 (375 mL).
Delaware Phoenix – Meadow of Love
Distilled in the Catskill Mountains, Meadow of Love is an artisanal absinthe rooted in locally grown herbs and botanicals. The deep, green color of the 136-proof spirit varies from batch-to-batch.
From Chettri-Kennedy: “The artemisia absinthium (wormwood) is a bitter nervine, but it’s combined with things that calm the bitterness, like anise and fennel. Anise is a mild, relaxing herb, and it’s also very aromatic and tasty.”
Available at Borisal Liquor & Wine; priced at $71.99 (750 mL).
The flavors of this liqueur come from organically grown chamomile flowers, herbs and spices, with agave nectar and organic sugar cane for sweetness. Founder Jill Witty is dedicated to keeping her product all-natural, so much so that she avoids the use of preservatives or shelf-stabilizers.
From Chettri-Kennedy: “Chamomile calms your stomach, but it calms your nerves as well.”
Plans to be distributed in New York in 2010; currently priced at approximately $25.
Freshly picked heirloom rose petals are infused into an eau-de-vie fermented with apples and honey. The result is a dark liqueur that’s been personally supervised by Greenway Distillers president and brandy master Crispin Cain.
From Chettri-Kennedy: “Rose is wonderful. It helps the cardiovascular system and can act as an anti-depressant. It’s also delicious, and can mask the taste of stronger flavors.”
Available for purchase online; priced at $85 (375 mL).
Modern Vodka – Celery Peppercorn
Infused with celery and blend of Malabar peppercorns, dried red chilies and spices, this 70-proof savory vodka rounds out Modern’s unique collection of flavors.
From Chettri-Kennedy: “When babies are teething, we’ve traditionally given them celery because it calms them down. It’s very good for the nervous system, and everything in the body is connected.”
Available at Crush Wine & Spirits, Sussex Wine & Spirits and others; priced at $34.99 (750 mL) and between $18.99 and $24.99 (375 mL).
To learn more about these herbs and their benefits, visit Flower Power Herbs & Roots at 406 E. 9th St., or call 212-982-6664. For more information on the spirits and liqueurs, visit the respective Web sites or call a local spirits store.
Please contact New York spirits examiner Dan Mazei at nycspirits@yahoo.com.
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