Herbal cocktails, anyone?

MAYBE it started with the mint in the mojito. Maybe it’s those wonderful drinks with lots of basil and ginger you find in Vietnamese restaurants or fusion cafes. Whatever the reason, when it comes to cocktails, it feels like an herbal moment.

What could be cooler than a cucumber martini? Why, an herbal cucumber martini. Take a handful of chervil from the farmers market -- the flavor is as delicate as its leaf, almost like tarragon that’s been sent to finishing school. Muddle it with cucumber in a mortar, and infuse it into gin with a splash of dry white vermouth, then strain it into a martini glass. How elegant! How sophisticated! It’s light years away from those terribly sweet martini variations.

Berries are just coming into their own in the markets right now, and they’re fabulous with basil and mint. Are you thinking wine cooler?

Puree lots of blackberries and raspberries, add a bunch of basil and mint, and let it steep for a couple of hours. Strain it, add chilled Pinot Gris and a little sweet red vermouth for even more herbal zing, and a bottle of club soda for fizz. Toss in some whole berries, a few slices of lime, and you’ve got a terrific light aperitif to serve at an afternoon soiree.

Now behold that bunch of cilantro, and think of aguas frescas, those juicy but not-too-sweet Mexican fruit drinks: It’s a short step to imagining a whole summerful of crisp coolers right there.

Melons are starting to come in from the Coachella Valley, so a honeydew agua fresca cocktail is just the ticket. How would it be to toss in a serrano chile? Only one way to find out. Oh, and don’t forget the tequila.

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Honeydew-cilantro agua fresca with tequila

Total time: 15 minutes

Servings: 8

Note: Make a simple syrup by heating 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar with an equal amount of water until it dissolves.

6 cups cut-up honeydew (1 ripe honeydew, about 4 1/2 pounds)

2 cups cold water

1/4 teaspoon minced, seeded serrano chile

2 tablespoons lime juice

4 to 6 tablespoons simple syrup (depending on the sweetness of the honeydew)

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed

6 ounces tequila ( 3/4 cup)

2 cups ice cubes

Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Red chile peppers for garnish

1. Combine the honeydew and cold water in batches in a blender and blend until smooth, pouring the puree into a pitcher as each batch is blended.

2. To the last batch of pureeing mixture, add the serrano chile, lime juice, simple syrup and cilantro leaves, pulsing until leaves are tiny flecks.

3. Blend in the tequila. Pour into the pitcher and stir in ice cubes.

4. Garnish the pitcher with a few sprigs of cilantro and two or three red chile peppers.

Each serving: 107 calories; 1 gram protein; 15 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 24 mg. sodium.

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Cool Cucumber Martini

Total time: 10 minutes

Servings: 1

1 (2-inch) piece

cucumber, peeled

and chopped, plus

1 (4-inch) thin strip for garnish

2 tablespoons chervil leaves, plus sprig for garnish

1/2 teaspoon Key lime juice

3 ounces Bombay gin

1/2 teaspoon dry white vermouth

1/2 cup ice cubes

1. Muddle the cucumber, chervil leaves and lime juice together in a mortar.

2. Pour the mixture into a glass measuring cup or small pitcher and add the gin and vermouth. Allow to infuse for 5 minutes.

3. Add the ice cubes and stir until the drink is chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, pressing to extract any juices.

4. Garnish with a sprig of chervil and a peeled cucumber strip on a bamboo skewer.

Each serving: 197 calories; 0 protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 1 mg. sodium.

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Basil-berry wine punch

Total time: 10 minutes, plus 2 to 3 hours infusing time

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: Make a simple syrup by heating 2 tablespoons sugar with an equal amount of water until it dissolves.

1/2 pint raspberries

1/2 pint blackberries

2 tablespoons simple syrup

1/4 cup torn basil leaves

1/4 cup torn mint leaves

1 bottle Pinot Gris, chilled

1/3 cup red Cinzano

1 (10-ounce) bottle chilled club soda

1 lime, thinly sliced

6 raspberries

6 blackberries

Ice cubes

1. Puree the raspberries, blackberries and simple syrup in a blender. Pour the puree into a glass bowl.

2. Crush the torn basil and mint leaves with your hands and stir into the pureed berries in the bowl. Cover and let stand 2 to 3 hours for the flavors to meld.

3. Strain the berries, pressing on the solids to extract all of the juices, and pour the strained syrup into a tall pitcher. Add the bottle of chilled wine. Stir in the Cinzano.

4. Top it off with a bottle of club soda and stir in lime slices, 6 raspberries and 6 blackberries and ice cubes just before serving.

Each serving: 85 calories; 0 protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 0 fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 6 mg. sodium.