My ancestors would often opt for alternative medicines where possible, so using roots, leaves and barks come naturally to me and I love learning about new plants and their uses when I go on country jaunts. In fact, pre-Covid, I had assigned a writer to write about bush teas for Nyam and Trod as I think our generation has lost knowledge of some plants, but thankfully, the interest is growing again. During this pandemic era, I pondered, how can I make a cocktail which also has some health benefits?
On occasion, food and drink ideas come to me in dreams, or a nagging voice in my head that will not stop until I stop procrastinating and experiment. When you are in tune with Mother Nature, I believe she whispers her secrets to you. Inspired by the local botany of my island, the medicinal herbs and leaves growing under my nose in my garden including moringa, peppermint, soursop, neem, aloe, Jack in the bush, cerassee, trumpet leaves etc. I was inspired to make a tincture with an infusion of some of these leaves. My homemade concoction is a perfect match for The Botanist Gin, a product whose backstory inspires me. A gin created out of respect for the unique terroir of its home island, Islay. I see many parallels between this Scottish isle and my Caribbean one.
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 30ml JuicyChef’s ‘Bush Tea Tincture’
- 30ml The Botanist Gin
- Ice
- Prosecco
- Moringa blossoms, garnish
Method (shaken)
- In a shaker filled with ice, add bush tea tincture, The Botanist Gin and shake vigorously until combined.
- Add ice to highball glass and pour in the gin mixture.
- Top with prosecco.
- Garnish with moringa blossoms.
- Serve immediately.
- Santé!
* You must be 21 years and older to drink. Please drink responsibly!
Jacqui ‘JuicyChef’ Sinclair, founder of Nyam & Trod, is a British Jamaican award-winning chef, writer, and food culturist. She is a co-founder of Kingston Kitchen, an annual food event supporting food artisans. Jacqui has been an advocate of the Meatless Monday Global movement in Jamaica since 2011. Jacqui’s work has been featured in such publications as the Huffington Post, the Jamaica Observer, Saveur, The Jewish Post and numerous blogs. She has appeared on the Travel Channel’s ‘Bizarre Foods’ with Andrew Zimmern and Food & Wine’s Jamaica episode with Kwame Onwuachi.