Drink Or Trick: Microgreens Cocktail Recipes For Your Halloween Party Guests

Microgreens work in a cocktail as more than decoration: depending on the variety, they bring sweet, nutty or peppery notes to the glass.

The Halloween menu below covers both alcoholic cocktails and a non-alcoholic mocktail, so no one is left out.

How to Add Microgreens Into Cocktails

Microgreens can be used as cocktail garnish to bring an unexpected kick of flavor as they come in different types, be it sweet, nutty or spicy. There are also several techniques you can try to infuse microgreens into cocktails to bring out more of their character.

In today’s menu we will be pairing:

• Bloody Mary with Red Radish Microgreens for a peppery taste.
• Spicy Margarita with Arugula Microgreens to enhance the spiciness.
• Whisky Sour with Sunflower Microgreens that add a nutty taste.
• Negroni with Cilantro Microgreens.
• Piña Colada with Pea Shoots, which blend well with fruity flavours.
• Strawberry mocktail with your favourite microgreens.

Bloody Mary

Ingredients

• Vodka
• 1 tin tomato cocktail juice
• 20g red radish microgreens – save a few for decoration
• Dash or two of Tabasco
• 2 to 3 dashes of Worcestershire
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the tinned tomato cocktail juice, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper along with the red radish microgreens in a food processor/blender and blend well.
2. Add the vodka after.
3. Pour into a glass and top with lots of ice.
4. Sprinkle the reserved red radish microgreens to decorate.

Spicy Margarita

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for rimming (optional)
• 1 medium lime
• Ice
• 1/2 medium jalapeño pepper
• 60ml blanco tequila
• 30ml triple sec, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
• Arugula Microgreens

Instructions

1. If you’d like a salt rim, pour 1 tablespoon kosher salt onto a small dish. Moisten the rim with a lime wedge. Invert the glass into the salt, turning it to coat the rim.
2. Fill the glass with ice. Juice 1 medium lime until you have 22,5ml. Cut 4 (around 0.6cm) thick rounds from 1/2 medium jalapeño.
3. Place the lime juice, 2 of the jalapeño rounds, 60ml blanco tequila, and 30ml triple sec in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, seal, and shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds.
4. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into the glass. Garnish with the remaining 2 jalapeño rounds and sprinkle arugula microgreens.

Whisky Sour

Ingredients

• 60ml bourbon
• 22,5ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 15ml simple syrup
• 15ml egg white (optional)
• Garnish: Angostura bitters and Sunflower microgreens

Instructions

1. Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white, if using, to a shaker, and dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice.
2. Add ice and shake again for 15–20 seconds, until well-chilled.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, or into a coupe without ice.
4. Garnish with 3–4 drops of Angostura bitters and one or two sunflower microgreens.

Negroni

Ingredients

• 30ml gin
• 30ml Campari
• 30ml sweet vermouth
• Garnish: orange peel and cilantro microgreens

Instructions

1. Add the gin, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice, and stir until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
3. Garnish with an orange peel and a couple of cilantro microgreens.

Piña Colada

Ingredients

• Pineapple juice
• Coconut cream (Coco Coconut Cream or Coco Lopez)
• Light rum
• Pea shoot microgreens

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Add some crushed ice and then blend until it’s well combined and slushy. Pea shoot microgreens are an excellent garnish for fruity cocktails or mocktails as they offer a sweet flavor. They should be added to cocktails before serving, as they are susceptible to oversaturation from liquid.

Strawberry Mocktail 

Ingredients:

• Strawberry
• Basil leaves
• Lemon juice
• Microgreen Garnish

Instructions:

To make this refreshing drink, blend fresh strawberries, lemon juice, basil leaves, honey or agave nectar, and ice cubes. Pour into glasses over ice and top with your favorite microgreens.

Creative Ways of Decorating your Cocktails Using Microgreens 

Do you think you are ready? Don’t forget about the presentation! Some people place the microgreens on top of ice cubes or freeze them for an eye-catching effect. Because it’s Halloween you can use ice cubes molds like ghost, pumpkin or skull shaped and fill them with juice and microgreens to add color and taste.

Sources and Links of interest

Bloody Mary with Microgreens

Bloody Mary with Microgreens

Spicy Margarita

https://www.thekitchn.com/spicy-margarita-recipe-23522969

Whisky Sour

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/whiskey-sour

Negroni

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/negroni

Piña Colada

https://www.crazyforcrust.com/easy-pina-colada-recipe

6 Refreshing Cocktails Recipes Featuring Herbs and Microgreens

https://www.urbancultivator.net/5-refreshing-recipes-microgreen-featuring-cocktails

Microgreens for Cocktail Garnishes

https://themicrogreenie.com/microgreens-for-cocktail-garnishes