The Secret Garden

A simple combination, The Secret Garden mixes lavender and lemon on top of the gin of your choice for a super sweet and delicious drink.

Where I found it

The Secret Garden is available at Dolly Varden in Manhattan.

Thanks Ryan!

Ingredients

• Gin of your choice, but lighter/neutral is best I feel. I used New Amsterdam. Empress 1908 would make for a more vibrant final color.

• Lavender and Butterfly Pea Syrup – Recipe below, but a fairly easy 1:1 simple syrup that is infused with Dried Lavender Flowers and Butterfly Pea Tea.

• Sweet and Sour Mix (or equal parts lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup). You can also use lemon juice on its own for a less sweet flavor.

How to Make

Add 2oz gin to a cocktail shaker over ice. Add 1.5oz Lavender and Butterfly Pea Syrup, and 1oz Sweet and Sour Mix or Lemon Juice. Shake and strain in a short cocktail glass over ice.Optionally replace ice cubes with a rose ice cube (as pictured above). I used this simple mold on Amazon.

Lavender and Butterfly Pea Syrup

In a small pot (preferably not non-stick) add 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar. Bring to a boil and mix frequently until sugar is fully dissolved. Once fully dissolved, add lavender flowers to a cheesecloth or cheesecloth bag and add to syrup. Add one butterfly pea tea bag as well. Infuse for 10-15 minutes over medium heat (do not boil the syrup), mixing gently every minute or two. Final product should be a deep purple/blue. Pour through a sieve into a glass bottle. Can be stored in the fridge for around a week.