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Lavender Bee’s Knees Cocktail

February 8, 2018 By Daniel 11 Comments

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Lavender Bee’s Knees Cocktail – Take a trip back to the Roaring Twenties with this modern classic cocktail that features a unique and flavorful twist.

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail

This week my 6-year-old has been running around the house in a black, kid-sized fedora, suspenders, and bowtie. His 100th day of school is coming up in a couple of days and the kids have all been encouraged to come to school dressed like they’re 100 years old. The funny thing is, he actually looks fairly stylish – until he puts the gray beard and old man glasses on, that is…

Lavender Honey

For a few years now, the 1920’s-inspired fashion styles have been gaining popularity amongst the hipster crowd, and it was relatively easy to find my son’s accessories on Amazon. Yes – bowties, suspenders, and even two-tone oxfords are readily available again if you’re feeling like making a bold fashion statement with a nod to history.

Lavender Bee's Knees Garnish

Perhaps even more popular than twenties fashion, however, has been the return of the speakeasy, or the “secret bar.” Of course, we’re not living under the Volstead Act anymore (thank heavens), so we don’t actually need to hide what we’re doing from the prying eyes of the police. Even so, the mystery and romance of the hidden bar is still a very popular draw. And what is at the heart of the modern speakeasy craze? The cocktails, of course.

Making a Lavender Bee's Knees

Today’s recipe for my Lavender Bee’s Knees is a tasty twist on a modern classic that has been enjoying a revival in recent years. It’s name is derived the 1920’s slang term meaning “the best,” and it’s easy to see how that came about. The Bee’s Knees follows the standard ratio of the family of drinks known as sours – generally comprised of 2 parts strong liquor, 1 part sour (usually lemon or other citrus), and 1 part sweet (usually simple syrup).

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail

Elegant and simple, the Bee’s Knees stands as a prime example of cocktail perfection. The traditional recipe calls for 2 oz of gin, 1 oz of lemon juice, and 1 oz of honey syrup (equal parts of honey and hot water mixed together). The lavender adds a unique twist and pairs perfectly with the honey in a way that enhances the flavor of the drink without changing it’s nature. In this case, I simply added some dried lavender flowers to a small saucepan, covered them with equal parts honey and water, and gently heated the mixture until it was thoroughly blended. Using this method will give you a lavender flavor that tastes much more pure and natural than any of the commercially available lavender bitters.

For the gin, I recommend using Plymouth, as the botanical notes are a bit more subdued than other brands and allow the honey and lavender flavors to take center stage.

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail

After that, all that’s left for you to do is brush your fedora, straighten your bowtie, pull up your suspenders, and make sure your two tone oxfords are polished to a mirror shine!

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail
 
Print
Prep time
15 mins
Total time
15 mins
 
Take a trip back to the Roaring Twenties with this modern classic cocktail that features a unique and flavorful twist.
Author: Rachel Hanawalt
Recipe type: Beverages
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1
Ingredients
Honey Syrup
  • ¼ C honey
  • ¼ C water
  • 2 tsp dried lavender flowers*
Bee's Knees Cocktail
  • 2 oz Plymouth gin
  • ¾ oz honey syrup
  • ¾ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Honey Syrup
  1. Place 2 tsp dried lavender flowers in a small saucepan
  2. Add ¼ C honey and ¼ C water to the pan and heat gently on low, stirring occasionally until the honey and water are evenly mixed, about 10 minutes**
  3. The syrup can be used immediately or stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
Bee's Knees Cocktail
  1. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice
  2. Shake vigorously and strain into a coupe
  3. Garnish with a lemon twist or piece of honeycomb
Notes
* If you're using fresh lavender flowers, increase the amount to 3 tsp per ¼ C honey
3.5.3229

Lavender Bee's Knees Cocktail

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Filed Under: Beverages, Dairy-Free, Fall, Gluten-Free, Honey, Spring, Summer, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian, Winter Tagged With: cocktail, drinks, gin, Honey, honeycomb, lavender, Lemon, Summer, Valentine's Day

« Surf and Turf Cheese Fondue
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Comments

  1. Annemarie says

    February 14, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    This is so fun! And I love the vibrant color.

    Reply
  2. emily | OatandSesame says

    February 14, 2018 at 2:32 pm

    This honey cocktail would be sooo perfect for Easter! Light and sweet! It’s always fun to have a special cocktail for holidays.

    Reply
  3. Jessica Robinson says

    February 14, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    Lavender, honey, and lemon- you got my attention! This cocktail looks amazing!

    Reply
  4. Jill says

    February 14, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    It’s not even 3:00 in the afternoon here and your photos and description are really making me want to have a drink! šŸ™‚ Loving the garnish picks too. Great post!

    Reply
  5. Jen Jen says

    February 14, 2018 at 5:21 pm

    My kind of cocktail! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Debbye says

    February 19, 2018 at 3:14 pm

    I love what you did with these, they look so good

    Reply
  7. jenny says

    May 13, 2018 at 1:34 am

    yummm! What do you get your dried lavender flowers?

    Reply
    • Rachel says

      June 7, 2018 at 4:07 pm

      My husband got some from a guy at his work who grew and dried some last summer. If you’re in the market for lavender I’ve seen it at Farmer’s Markets and of course on Amazon! Click the picture of Lavender for my Amazon Affiliate link…

      Reply
  8. Felicia says

    April 15, 2019 at 11:42 pm

    This looks really good and I’m excited to try it. What exactly is the garnish skewer made of?

    Reply
    • Daniel says

      April 22, 2019 at 11:08 pm

      Thanks Felicia! It’s raw honeycomb cut into cubes. Let me know if you try the cocktail.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Bee's Knees Cocktail Recipe - Quarantine Cocktail Ideas - bits and bites - says:
    April 17, 2020 at 9:02 am

    […] Something about pairing lavender and lemon… Simple Seasonal has a lavender variation. […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Rachel! Welcome to Simple Seasonal, a resource for simple, healthful, and delicious recipes that help you make the most of seasonal produce from your local farmer's market, CSA, or home garden. Simple Seasonal is committed to a whole foods diet. With an occasional cookie... ;)


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