Courtesy of Moshe B Zusman

Sip Smart,
Save the Planet

By Natalie Bovis-Nelsen (AKA: TheLiquidMuse.com)

Looking to go "green" on St. Patrick's Day without shamrock beer? Try these herb-based cocktails and organic spirits. Being environmentally conscious has never been so much fun.

Cilantro Cooler
(Courtesy of Bill Spath at Firefly, Washington D.C.)

Juice from 1/2 freshly squeezed lime
8 cilantro leaves
2 sugar cubes
1 1/2 ounces Martin Miller's gin

Muddle the lime juice, cilantro leaves and sugar cubes in a tall glass. Add ice. Pour in gin. Garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a lime wedge.

Blue Pom-organic Martini
(Courtesy of TheLiquidMuse.com)

1 1/2 ounces Square One vodka
1 1/2 ounces pomegranate-blueberry juice (plain pomegranate juice is fine, too)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Dash of bitters

Shake all ingredients with ice, strain. Serve "up' in a cocktail glass.

(March 2007)