Makes one cocktail
2 ounces Lavender-infused gin (see below)
1 ounce Butterfly Pea Flower simple syrup (see below)
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 egg white
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry shake. Add a few ice cubes and shake to chill. Strain contents over a fine mesh strainer into your preferred stemmed cocktail glass, rimmed with Lavender Sugar (see note). Garnish with a sprig of fresh lavender clipped to the rim.
NOTE: Lavender sugar is simple to make and doesn’t require much accuracy. Remove lavender petals from stems, lightly grind with a mortar and pestle, add a good dose of sugar, and grind some more. Dampen the rim of your glass with lemon juice, then dip in lavender sugar; rotate to coat.
Lavender-infused Gin:
Remove petals from stems of a bundle of lavender and put them in a 32-ounce Mason jar. Fill with gin and store in a cool, dark place for several days, turning jar over and shaking 2-3 times each day. After day 6, test for lavender scent and taste strength; if needed, shake and let sit for another day, and taste again. Do this until you notice a change in color, scent and taste, to your satisfaction, then strain through a cheese cloth and pour into a covered container until ready to use.
Butterfly Pea Flower Simple Syrup:
Combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan (we used 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water) and let simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add ½ ounce butterfly pea flowers and turn off the heat; let the liquid steep the flowers until water is cool. Once cooled, strain out solid ingredients and pour into another container; store in fridge.
NOTE: Butterfly pea flowers make a caffeine-free herbal tea commonly known as blue tea, and can be found in any tea shop (we found them at the Spice & Tea Merchants of McKinney). With natural color-changing qualities, the tea will turn from a vibrant royal blue into a soft lavender purple when mixed with lemon juice.
Toby Thomason is General Manager of Harvest Seasonal Kitchen and Board Member of The Seed Project Foundation
Michelle LeBolt is the Beverage Director at Harvest Seasonal Kitchen.
