Grow your own drinks

Have you tried a honey lavender martini or a basil mojito? If not, now would be the time, as many of us have the ingredients growing in the garden as well as sitting in the liquor cabinet.

I started using more botanical ingredients in cocktails a couple years ago, and was happy to discover such mixers as St. Germain liquor, which is much more well-known now than when I started buying it. It is made from elderflowers, comes in a gorgeous bottle, is not that expensive, and has a clear flavor that can usually be tasted well above the din of whatever you mix it with (great with gin and gives an excellent kick to prosecco or inexpensive champagne).

Today’s NYTimes has a nice piece on floral cocktails, timed perfectly with the arrival of true summer weather across the Northeast. Check it out. And here’s a honey lavender martini recipe:

1 part gin

½ part honey lavender syrup

shake with ice, strain into a glass. Add a squeeze of lemon if it seems too sweet.

Make honey lavender syrup by boiling 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 cup water with 3 teaspoons lavender, and adding 1/4 cup lemon juice after it cools. That will make enough syrup for a few cocktails. (I have adapted these proportions from a local restaurant that makes these, so some experimentation may be in order.)

Comments

[katy at the dirty radish]

Yes, I have!

In fact, tonight I'm making lemon-lavender vodka tonics made with lavender I grew myself. I think a bit of rosemary simple syrup might be lovely in a traditional gin & tonic.

[gardenmentor]

Oh yes, I'm a big fan of herbal cocktails! Lemon verbena tends to be my key ingredient. Find a recipe for a Lemon Verbena drop here: http://www.gardenhelp.org/books/cookbooks/lemon-verbena-how-to-grow-preserve-and-enjoy-all-year/

later today I'll be posting a recipe on gardenhelp.org for a lemon verbena blueberry martini in a larger article on CSA farms, but I need to get the photos done first!

This recipe sounds lovely, but I really want to try Amy's watermelon martini this season....Amy, could you post it here?!

[Kim]

Ummmm, that sounds good!

[Sandcarving Glass master]

That sounds great and different. I got to give it a try!