Cocktail Hour: Bee's Knees

Here in Austin, Texas we seem to be experiencing a cocktail renaissance of sorts. Delicious, well-crafted specialty cocktails are popping up in bars all over, and I've been working to re-create our favorites at home.

One of my personal absolute favorites is the Bee's Knees, a delightful blend of honey, lemon juice and gin which can be found at the Good Knight (1300 East 6th Street, Austin). It's sweet, sour and totally refreshing. Although I think most folks might consider it more of a spring or summer drink, I think it's just the thing to brighten up the darker days of winter.

The New Bee's Knees (from Bon Appétit, via Epicurious)

Some notes: Dried lavender blossoms are available at health food stores, in bulk online - or if you're in town, I found mine at Central Market in the bulk foods area, right next to the teas.

I've taken to making larger quantities of the syrup of hot water, lavender blossoms and honey and storing it in a glass bottle in the fridge. That way, making a drink is as easy as adding some fresh lemon juice and gin to the syrup. Just keep the ratio of syrup to juice to gin handy - it's 3 syrup/2 juice/6 gin.

1/4 cup hot water

1 teaspoon dried lavender blossoms

1/4 cup honey

6 tablespoons gin

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix hot water and dried lavender blossoms in a bowl. Let steep 5 minutes. Whisk in the honey, and strain syrup into another bowl (or glass bottle).

Add 3 tablespoons of the honey syrup to the gin and lemon juice. Add to cocktail shaker with ice. Shake very well until frosty and strain into chilled glasses.