Botanical Symphony: Crafting Signature Plant Elixirs
Today, we would like to introduce Nicole Johnson, a multi-hustle creative with decades of hospitality expertise, including craft cocktail talent behind the bar. Nicole has seamlessly woven her vast wisdom and experience into her entrepreneurial venture, Botanical Drinkable, crafting unique plant elixirs known as 'drinkables.' Specializing in custom botanical blends, she curates signature creations, bringing them to the next level and fueling warm engagements among groups.
Nicole serving a signature plant blend for an event, elegantly adorned with edible flowers and served in decadent vintage glassware.
APM: Tell us about the first blend you ever made.
N.J.: My first blend was created for a beautiful boutique, and I was thrilled to cater for my friend Amelia's opening day.
At that time, I was intrigued with holy basil (known as tulsi) for its aromatic flavor and adaptogenic health benefits. I created Amelia’s blend using holy basil, ginger, mandarin, and lemon. Together, we named it Vintage 74, for her birth year and our love of vintage style. It tasted perfect - bright, tangy, and herbaceous! I mixed it for guests with a choice of Prosecco or sparking water in little vintage cordial glasses with dried rose buds as garnish.
APM: As someone who has savored the delightful variety of your drinkable blends, the craftsmanship is evident – each blend is created with intention and attention.
From the meticulous selection of plants to the imaginative journey of naming and describing your botanical concoctions, could you share the details of how you seamlessly integrate a new blend into your elixir repertoire?
N.J: Usually, I create a blend with a specific occasion in mind, so the process begins with careful thought and a bit of research.
I consider the cause for the occasion and who will be in the crowd. Symbology and herbal tradition can steer things in a particular direction. I always try to get a feel for what flavor profiles the host enjoys. Some people don’t love minty or cinnamon. Other people are willing to try weirder stuff.
When I catered for the opening at Indigo House Gallery, I talked to Christen (the owner) about her favorite cocktails. She loves mezcal and also enjoys spicy drinks. So I created her signature drinkable blend, Aesthetic Nouveau, by using black cardamom to mimic the smoky flavor of mezcal and I incorporated jalapeño for a spicy kick. The final blend uses lychee berry and also butterfly pea flowers which gives it a funky, natural indigo color. It's a unique, delicious, and beautiful blend!
↓ Blend Creation Notes ↓
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↓ Blend Creation Notes ↓ 〰️
behind the scenes process notes of making custom botanical blends ↑
“Begin with some easy stuff, like strawberry, basil, sage, and pineapple. Shake the liquid with the leaves in a mixing tin with ice, then strain it. Start with a botanical that you already know you like.”
APM: If someone wants to become more familiar with drink-pairing flavors and plants, how would you recommend they begin at home?
N.J: Begin with some easy stuff, like strawberry, basil, sage, and pineapple. Shake the liquid with the leaves in a mixing tin with ice, then strain it. Start with a botanical that you already know you like. I love the combination of peach and rose!
When you’re ready to try working with more complex botanicals, do it by adding just a little bit at a time and recording everything so you can keep track of measurements accurately.
My background in bartending has come in handy when working with bitter herbs like mugwort and rue. Working with them is similar to mixing cocktails with an amaro or bitter aperitifs like Campari or Aperol. All those are plant-derived - I am just using them in a more raw form. Absinthe is a spirit made from wormwood, an Artemesia species in the same family as mugwort!
It's all about getting these ingredients balanced. Keep tweaking measurements until it tastes yummy! If you want to make great drinks, sign up for one of my mixology classes!
Botanical Drinkable Valentine’s Mixology WorkshopDuxbury, Ma 2/9 sign up here.APM: When working on a blend for someone, what tools or techniques do you use to summon creativity?
N.J: Often times I will see or hear about an herb, and feel inspired to taste it, to learn about it, and to work with it in a blend.
For example, I was very interested in using the evergreen plant rue, because it is used homeopathically to treat tinnitus (ringing in the ears) which I have. I had no idea that rue was going to be totally delicious and cool-looking!
Other times, I just get inspired by combinations of fruits and spices. Like I just knew I needed to make a blend with cherry and vanilla. That combination feels so cozy and nostalgic to me.
Sometimes I will shuffle my oracle cards, ask about the occasion, and get some interesting responses from the universe.
I like to meet up with the host to learn about the occasion. Sometimes we will pull cards together. I even made my own deck of flavor cards with things like “earthy” and “tart” or “medicinal.”
The host and I will chat and pull cards and see what comes up. We narrow it down to a few botanicals and flavor profiles and from there I will go and experiment until I come up with a blend that tastes delicious and suits the occasion.
One of the coolest things I’ve ever done is cater drinks for a coven of witches in Salem, MA! The #dirtyhoecoven is a group of witchy gardeners from all over the world. We chatted enthusiastically about plants and what the retreat was all about. After our conversation, we pulled the oracle cards for mugwort and hawthorn. Soon after that the drinkable blend Midnight Divination was born!
There's a lot of time & intention that goes into the process of creating a new drinkable blend. I love that my drinkables can be served with or without alcohol. Everyone can enjoy it however they choose.
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There's a lot of time & intention that goes into the process of creating a new drinkable blend. I love that my drinkables can be served with or without alcohol. Everyone can enjoy it however they choose. 〰️
APM: What events do you have in February-April that we should inform APM readers about?
N.J: In February, The Botanical Drinkable will release a limited batch of our Valentine's blend Devotion Potion, made with rose, hibiscus, cinnamon, and tart cherry.
I will teach a special Valentine’s Mixology Workshop at Mix It Up Kitchen in Duxbury on Friday, 2/9/24.
In Scituate, I will teach my Garden to Glass Mocktails Class at The Root on Thursday, 2/15.
On Sunday, 2/18, I will serve drinkables at the Duxbury Art Association’s Winter Juried Show. It's open to the public and I will offer three different blends.
In March, our St. Patty’s blend called Fists of Clover will be released. Its made with red clover, ginger, apple, clove, and citrus.
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