The grass is cut and you now have a lazy late afternoon to kill and you don’t want to get yourself all worked up from carving fruit and shaking ingredients; it is already hot enough outside and you just finished mowing the lawn and your hammock is calling.
But you just want something nice and cold to quench your thirst. What do you reach for?
A glass of lemonade, of course. Nothing will refresh in the same way an ice cold glass of the tart summer staple can replenish not only your body, but your soul as well.
Those that enjoy adult beverages can rejoice in the fact that there are easy ways to have the best of both worlds, whether it’s adding some vodka to your grandmother’s lemonade recipe or by whipping up a more sophisticated cocktail to sip on.
Keep these two ingredients on hand you will always have a refreshing cocktail on hand: lavender syrup and the vodka of your choice.
This recipe comes from The Manship, known for their wood-fired creations and always reinventing their bar menu. They invented the Porch Swing, which has swung on and off the menu, but it can usually be ordered due to the simplicity of ingredients.
In any regard, you can make pitchers of this at home to sip at your leisure when a hard day’s work is done.
Ingredients
• Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka (though we are sure any variety you prefer will do the trick)
• Lemonade (dealer’s choice)
• Lavender syrup
First, to make the lavender syrup, bring equal parts sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Then, stir in about one-fourth of a cup of dried lavender for every three cups of water. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain, discarding lavender. Put in its own reusable container and let it chill for future use.
Combine two ounces of vodka and lavender syrup to taste, usually about half an ounce will do, in a Collins glass with ice. Top off with lemonade and stir. This process can easily be multiplied into a pitcher for multiple servings. Feel free to garnish liberally with fresh fruit and herbs.
