Lavender French 75
It was all going so well… vaccines are being rolled out, progress is being made…
And then infection rates soared to the highest they’ve been ever. Ever.
Here in BC, that’s lead to a partial lockdown. In addition to all the restrictions we had before, we’re also now not allowed to eat in restaurants. Restaurants are allowed to do take out, or if they have a patio, they’re allowed to keep that open, but no in-house dining.
It’s been a tough week. We’ve all been living such restricted lives this past year, some of us (depending on where you live) more than others. For me, going out once a week or so with a friend for a nice happy hour or a dinner was the last thing that really brought me joy and a sense of normalcy in my life. And now that’s gone… at least for three weeks.
So here we are, living alone again, in our own places, just trying to stay safe and cope the best way we can.
I’m grateful that we’re not on full lockdown here, so at least I can get out and go for walks, and that helps. But I’m basically not seeing any friends or eating out at all, other than takeout.
It felt like this turn of events needed one thing: booze.
Okay, I’m joking. Kinda. But also, what else is there to do? I cannot do another zoom call. I’ve watched everything on Netflix and Prime. The new season of Top Chef is here just in the nick of time.
So here is a pretty, simple and easy-to-make cocktail. Bonus, it contains lavender, which has calming effects on the nervous system. You could technically use any gin in this Lavender French 75, but I like to use the Empress 1908 Gin that’s blue in the bottle, and then turns a beautiul shade of lavender when you add lemon juice to it. It’s locally distilled in Sydney, BC, at Victoria Distillers.
This is a twist on a classic cocktail called the French 75, which dates back 100 years. Still good.
Lavender French 75
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 gin
- 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup see below
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 2-3 oz prosecco or sparkling white wine
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, place 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons lavender flowers. Bring up to a boil, swirling to mix. Once it comes to a boil and the sugar is all dissolved, turn off the heat, and place the syrup aside to cool completely. Once cool, strain into a bottle or a mason jar.
- To make the cocktail: in a shaker with ice, place the gin, simple syrup and lemon juice. Shake to chill (don't go too crazy, gin is delicate!), and then strain into a pretty coupe glass or champagne flute. Top with prosecco, garnish with a lavender sprig or a lemon twist and serve.