How Verbena restaurant got its name
How Verbena, a Modern British restaurant in Stirchley Birmingham, got its name
Today I wanted to tell you a little bit about how Verbena came to be named. Verbena is a perennial herb with small, delicate flowers. The name "Verbena" has an interesting origin and is derived from various sources. In Latin, "Verbena" means sacred herb or sacred bough. It was used in religious ceremonies and was believed to have protective and purifying properties.
The use of verbena as a medicinal and magical herb dates back to ancient times. It’s also known as vervain and it was believed that its powerful properties could ward off evil spirits, vampires, and witches, which is why it was often used as a protective herb. That’s probably how it made its way into the Vampire Diaries where its use stopped humans from being influenced by vampires. In the past Verbena was also used as an antiseptic, an analgesic and to alleviate pain during labour. All in all it’s pretty impressive as far as herbs go and that’s one of the reasons we love it.
Verbena restaurant’s signature cocktail: The Verbellini
As well its magical and mystical properties, Verbena happens to be one of Chloë’s mom’s favourites. We love it too. Its distinct sherbet and lemon flavours add a refreshing twist to our signature cocktail, The Verbellini.
The Verbellini is combines nectarine puree and natural sparkling wine with lemon Verbena, to create a refreshing drink that’s perfect for any time of year. We love the combination of sweet and tangy nectarine puree, the effervescence of the sparkling wine, and the herbaceous notes of Verbena. At Verbena our menu changes with the seasons, but the Verbellini is a year round staple.
Ideas for using Verbena at home
Verbena Tea
In a large pot, combine water and verbena leaves.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from heat.
Cover the pot and let the mixture steep for 10 minutes.
After steeping, strain out the leaves.
Enjoy the verbena tea warm or let it cool and serve it as a refreshing cold herbal tea.
Verbena Simple Syrup
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, and lemon verbena leaves.
Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from heat and let the simple syrup cool.
Once cooled, let it steep for 30 minutes to infuse the flavors of the lemon verbena leaves.
Strain the simple syrup before using in cocktails, iced tea, lemonade, or other beverages.
We hop you enjoyed hearing about our love for Verbena. If you’d like to join us in Stirchley, south Birmingham for a Verbellini and modern British seasonal food you can book your table here. We’re open for dinner from Thursday to Saturday.