Antoni Porowski Just Shared His Strawberry Jalapeño Cocktail Recipe—and We’ll Be Making It All Summer Long

Only a handful of people in this world understand the feeling of having five queer men suddenly overturn their lives for the better. Whether it’s an outfit makeover from Tan France or a zhushing of the hair with Jonathan Van Ness, guests on the Netflix TV series Queer Eye get the V.I.P. treatment they need and deserve. That treatment even extends to the kitchen.

For Antoni Porowski, Queer Eye food and wine expert, his mission has always been to develop easy recipes with simple ingredients that anyone can feel confident using. So, it’s only appropriate that he’s partnered with Lowe’s, the home improvement store, to tell us how anyone can begin to use fresh ingredients from a home garden—or in a window planter box. 

In this interview, Porowski took some time to chat with us about his partnership, as well as his tips for growing food in and out of the home. He also talked about his favorite way to preserve fresh herbs, the garden tool upgrade that helps keep him sane and more. Not to mention, we’ve got his newest recipe for a refreshing strawberry cocktail waiting for you at the end.

EatingWell: Where should beginners start when it comes to growing their own food?

Porowski: Start simple. Do not over complicate your life by going in and buying 50 different things. I think, for me living in a New York City apartment, I have to keep it simple, looking at what I actually use on a daily basis. I love chives, because I eat eggs every single morning. Growing chives is thankfully very simple to do and also available at Lowe’s. You can grow those and put them into soups and stews, over fresh fish, in breakfast and sandwiches—you name it. Herbs are simple because they’re really hard to kill, in the best way. Whether it’s basil, oregano, Thai basil or whatever it is, start out nice and simple, and then you can move on to things like greens and different types of butter lettuce, arugula and Lacinato kale. If you have a yard, you can get into wonderful things like tomatoes or even cherry tomatoes. If you have a balcony, just grow from herbs and gain that confidence. I think the same rules apply to cooking. Look at the life that you have and just be realistic, starting out small and expanding from there.

EatingWell: After harvesting your own or buying from a store, what’s the best way to keep herbs fresh for longer?

Especially in the summer with all the herbs that I’m growing, I like to take tall glasses, fill them up with cold water, trim the stems of whatever herbs I have, and keep them stored there. They’re going to last a lot longer than they would just tied in any type of bag. And then, with whatever produce I am buying, I like to take those thin bags that you have at grocery stores, cover the herbs with those and keep them in the fridge. Then, trim the edges every two to three days to keep them fresh, and swap the water out. They’ll taste just as good as if they were fresh cut.

EatingWell: Why have you decided to partner with Lowe’s to help people bring yard-to-table?

Porowski: I’ve spent all winter long eating different forms of squash and stews and chilis … But I just love the produce, herbs and wonderful colors that come up this time of year and following all the ingredients as they become readily available. So, we thought this was a wonderful opportunity to showcase empowering people to grow their own foods and be in control over what they put into their bodies, which is something that’s very important to me. 

EatingWell: What’s the most underrated gardening tool you think people should buy more often?

Porowski: It’s a simple one, but it drove me crazy until my dad finally invested in a proper one when I was little. Instead of manually cranking the hose, having a good retractable hose that rolls up easily saved me so much time when I was ready to join my family for dinner.

EatingWell: How do you track when to water your garden plants?

Porowski: I would just keep it old school, nice and visual. I spend most of my time in the kitchen, and having a calendar there next to the fridge seems to be the easiest way.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Antoni Porowski’s Spicy Strawberry Refresher

Active: 5 minutes

Total: 5 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 2 medium strawberries, chopped
• 1 slice fresh jalapeño
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon fresh whole cilantro leaves
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 ounce tequila
• ½ cup ice
• Prosecco
• Fresh orange juice

Directions

Step 1

To a 16-ounce glass, add strawberries, jalapeño, sugar, cilantro, and salt. Muddle together in the bottom of the glass. (If you don’t have a traditional muddler, you can use the handle of a wooden spoon.) Add ice and tequila, stir vigorously. Top with Prosecco and a splash of orange juice. Enjoy!

To make it a mocktail:

Replace tequila and Prosecco with ginger beer.