The Bee’s Knees cocktail is a floral and delicate gin-based drink with honey of course but also a hint of lavender because it originated in Paris before becoming a hit in prohibition era speakeasies. This is a good cocktail to have on a slow summer afternoon because you only want one and you should savor it slowly. The cocktail’s name is drawn from the popular 1920’s expression “bee’s knees,” which meant “way cool” or “best,” or “so fetch,” etc.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- 1 oz Lemon juice – fresh squeezed
- 1 oz Honey Lavender Syrup – see recipe below
- Club soda (optional)
- Lemon twist for garnish
- Other optional garnishes include a sage sprig, rosemary sprig, mint leaves or lavender sprig.
Process
- Mise en Place – Measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Fill shaker glass with ice.
- Add all ingredients to shaker glass top with stainless steel shaker base.
- Shake at least 30 seconds or until condensation forms on the shaker exterior.
- Strain in to a chilled cocktail coupe or
- Martini glass if serving neat, or
- Tom Collins glass if topping with club soda (optionally add ice but will dilute cocktail).
- Optionally: top off with club soda or sparkling wine, or lime soda
Honey Lavender Syrup: Ingredients: 2 oz hot water + 2 oz honey + 4 tsp dried lavender buds. Process: Steep dried lavender in hot water for 5 mins. Whisk in honey and strain into a container.
