Here Today, Tarragon Tomorrow Cocktail & Mocktail

The golden landscape of Northern California has given way to lush, rolling hills ranging from emerald to chartreuse to celery to the most vibrant green apple with all of the winter rain we have been getting. Sounds like the perfect cocktail! These magnificent colors inspired this savory tipple, and I also included a spirit-free/mocktail version for those who are abstaining. Spirit-free options are one of the most requested type of drinks from you all. We can’t drink cocktails everyday after all, we need tasty options for when we are not imbibing. This Here Today, Tarragon Tomorrow cocktail, all puns aside, is a great tipple to sip as we transition into warmer, sunnier days that are on the horizon…or I at least hope they are!

Here Today, Tarragon Tomorrow is a savory cocktail, and spirit-free drink, that have wisps of spring woven through out. The first sip of the cocktail reveals the tart green apple bit that pirouettes with the earthiness of the tequila beautifully. Upon further exploration, the subtle anisette in the tarragon reveals itself while picking up on the tequila’s notes. The celery salt rim adds a dynamic although unusual flavor component that works with all of the fresh, green notes in the vibrant (and spirit-free) cocktail. The spirit free drink omits the gin and adds soda water for fizz to elevate the tarragon syrup and green apple. Fell free to add the spritz of chartreuse to add complex herbal notes with out adding ABV. These drinks are variations I made for my classes with Macy’s last year! It was fun to demo these and server them to a crowd. I was back in my element of teaching! I definitely plan to teach more cocktail classes this year to bring more cocktail knowledge, and beverages, to you IRL.

H E R E  T O D A Y,  T A R R A G O N  T O M O R R O W

serves 1

• 4 tsp celery salt and 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 oz green apple juice
• 1 3/4 oz blanco tequila, I used Partida
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz tarragon syrup, recipe below
• garnish: tarragon sprig and 3 green apple slices
• optional: spritz of Green Chartreuse

Directions
Add 4 tsp celery salt to 2 tablespoons coarse salt on a plate. Using a lime wedge, wet the rim of a rocks glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the salt mixture to coat. Add ice to the glass. Shake tequila, apple juice, lime juice, and tarragon syrup in a shaker with ice. Strain into the glass. Spray with an optional spritz of Green Chartreuse (or rinse glass with it before straining the drink into it) Garnish with tarragon sprig and apple slices.

To Mocktail or Not to Mocktail?

There is a heated debate going on what we should call drinks without alcohol in them. Spirit-free, no ABV, zero proof, mocktail, non-alcoholic are all terms thrown around these days to describe these teetoaling beverages. Mocktail has been used for awhile and is the general public’s go-to term (just do a search and you will get 1,000 of articles with recipes with this term), but ask any cocktail journalist or some bartenders what their favorite mocktail is and you might not get a not-so-pleasant reaction. The term does have a negative connotation, as if the drink is to be mocked for not having any alcohol in it, but almost every term used to describe them have a negative term attached. As a teacher I trained myself to not use negative terms to associate with a behavior, refraining from using no and bad for instance, rather responding with positive actions they could have been done. Non-alcoholic, no-abv and zero proof all sound as if the lacking something instead of being delicious drinks on their own. Le sigh, there is no perfect term for these necessary  I am in camp spirit free, BUT really do not care if you want to call it a mocktail, fauxtail (ok, actually, please don’t call it that) or what they often are: fancy juice. What matters is they have finally earned their place on a bar menus worldwide. It’s important for bars, and home bar, to serve a selection of these style of beverages for guests who still want to socialize and sip on a flavorful, crafted drink, but have a reason for not imbibing.S P I R I T – F R E E 

H E R E   T O D A Y,  T A R R A G O N  T O M O R R O W

serves 1

• 4 tsp celery salt and 2 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 oz green apple juice
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz tarragon syrup, recipe below
• 1/4 oz agave syrup
• 1 oz club soda
• garnish: tarragon sprig and 3 green apple slices
• optional: *spritz of Green Chartreuse

Directions

Add 4 tsp celery salt to 2 tablespoons corse salt on a plate. Using a lime wedge, wet the rim of a collins glass. Dip the rim of the glass into the salt mixture to coat. Add ice to the glass. Shake apple juice, lime juice, agave, and tarragon syrup in a shaker with ice. Strain into the glass. Top with club soda and stir. Spritz Green Chartreuse over the glass. Garnish with tarragon sprig and apple slices.

*Spritz of Green Chartreuse will add a very, very minimal alcohol to the cocktail, but a lot of flavor.

 TARRAGON SYRUP

makes 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 8 tarragon sprigs

Directions

Add sugar, water, and tarragon sprigs to mason jar or sealed container. Shake for 30 seconds. Let sit and shake periodically for 2-3 hours or until the sugar is dissolved.