It’s summer, and many of us are enjoying the boat on the water and the garden on land. Why not enjoy the two together?! I was lucky enough to enjoy some R&R in Baja recently and had versions of these drinks at the lovely Flora Farms in San Jose del Cabo. So delicious! Your favorite standards for gin and tonics (G&Ts) and margaritas are made even more delicious with some type of fresh juice. You can riff on the idea with all types of variations of the carrot, beet, pineapple, or watermelon juices to name a few. Sometimes we just want the standard, but adding juices brings the garden to the boat, steps up your game with your fellow boaters, and imparts a bit of nutrition to our pastime.
For your garden G&T, you will need your favorite gin (I love Hendrick’s), a fairly neutral tonic (Schwepps is nice), and limes of course. Ideally, you have some type of home vegetable juicer aboard, as it is a great way to make incredibly tasty, fresh juices. If not, many grocery stores now sell fresh juices on ice, or they can be found in the deli section. The margarita is nice with a white tequila (Jimador is delicious). Fresh fruit and vegetables are key, as are fresh limes and oranges for garnishes. The natural oils in the skin add to the flavor of the drink.
Beet Gin and Tonic
- 2 ounces Hendrick’s Gin
- 2 ounces Schwepps Tonic
- 2 ounces freshly juiced beet juice from red beets (of the smaller size), scrubbed
- 1-2 lime wedges
- Tall Collins glass or large
rocks glass - Very thin slice of beet for garnish
Make the Drink
Fill the glass with ice to the top of the rim. Add the gin and beet juice, then top with the tonic. Squeeze in one lime wedge and garnish with one wedge. Use a spoon to push in the beet slice garnish.
Garden Carrot-Rita
- 2 ounces white tequila
- 4 ounces fresh carrot juice, peeled
- Juice of ½ an orange
- Juice of one lime
- Lime wedges
- Tall pint glass and lots of ice!
Make the Drink
Add some ice to a shaker, then add the tequila, orange juice, and lime juice. Cover and shake well. Pour over a glass full of fresh ice and strain tequila mixture. Top with the fresh carrot juice. Garnish with lime wedges.
We’re thirsty for more recipes, so send yours on to editorial@nwyachting.com for a chance to appear in the next issue.
