I have an abundance of lavender growing in my yard. It’s beautiful and it smells good – but what is one supposed to do with so much lavender? So, I am trying to find recipes where fresh lavender is used.
A couple of years ago I was at a restaurant in Washington where Lavender Martini’s were on the menu. I ordered one and enjoyed it. So, I’ve set about trying to recreate this martini. I think I’ve come up with a pretty good combination.
Ingredients: (Serves 2)
4 oz good quality vodka
1 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz lavender syrup (recipe follows)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and serve in two martini glasses with a sprig of lavender for garnish. You could rim the glasses with sugar and frost them in the freezer first.
Lavender Syrup
Remove the flowers from 9 – 10 French Lavender stalks (a good size handful)
½ cup sugar
1 cup water
Put the lavender flowers and sugar in a small saucepan. Crush the lavender flowers into the sugar with the back of a spoon.
Add water and place on stove. Bring to simmer so that the sugar completely dissolves.
Let the syrup completely cool before using. Can be made a day or two ahead of time and placed in the fridge.
