Lovely Lavender

Last spring my friend Maryanne and I went to the lavender festival at Highland Springs Resort in Beaumont. We wandered through lavender fields, browsed lavender crafts, and feasted on lavender-laced cuisine, including kabobs with lavender yogurt sauce, and la piece de resistance--lavender ice cream. Along with lavender sachet wands and a lavender massage candle, I picked up a bottle of lavender syrup. It wasn't cheap, so I tucked it away until I had a worthy occasion.

Finally getting the VCT tile floor installed in my bathroom turned out to be such the occasion. Who'd a thunk? When I was done and cleaned up, late in the evening, I decided it was time to celebrate.

Time for a gin and tonic.

When my friend Jana and I stopped for iced tea at a little bar on our way out of Palm Springs one scorching summer afternoon, we fell into conversation with the bartender about all his infused vodkas we saw lined up against the mirrored wall. He had blood orange, basil and cucumber, jalapeno, lime, and fig. He gave me little tastes of each one, and for a finisher, he reached into the last jar and pulled out a vodka-soaked fig. Oh, heaven in a tumescent little fruit. However, what I most gained from that afternoon's conversation was his introduction to Hendrick's gin ("Here, taste this, it's my favorite").

So now I have a bottle of Hendrick's stashed up in my cupboard and every few months I pull it down, dig out the cocktail shaker, and make myself a gin and tonic. As I was pouring the ingredients into the shaker, I thought of that little bottle of lavender loveliness stashed in my pantry. I added a splash of the syrup, and ended up with the most amazing drink I've ever had. I'm not even sure yet what to call it, so I may have to return and edit that in when I come up with a name. The sweet and spicy herbal notes of the lavender complement the juniper essence of the gin so perfectly.

Here's the recipe:

Lavender gin & tonic to be named later

Over ice in a shaker, pour the following:

1 shot Hendrick's gin
2 shots tonic water
1 splash lavender syrup

Shake well and pour into a martini glass. The drink evokes late-summer Mediterranean fields, so as an aperitif, I would recommend crackers with goat cheese and olive accompaniments. As a late-night celebratory indulgence, I'd recommend a little sea-salt encrusted dark chocolate and a side of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on the DVR.