Cracking a new bottle for this: Saskatoon Honey Gin from Eau Claire Distillery.
What better liquor for a Bee’s Knees, which is all about the honey, than this gin made from locally sourced honey, Saskatoon berries and rose hips, along with the usual botanicals.
This week calls for sweet and simple. And this fit the bill perfectly. Softly sweet, slightly floral. Delicate and soothing.
I used my Tantalus Vineyards honey again — the last of it, actually — and it lent such a lovely flavour to the cocktail. A perfect farewell for that jar of deliciousness. Given how much of a role it plays in this cocktail, if you do have good honey hanging around in your cupboard, this is a good place for it.
I/m feeling a little low on words this week, so I’ll just say that I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. Really. Truly. Like, I wish I had more honey, really, truly.
If you have gin — any standard one should work; having a honey-infused one was a bonus — I 10/10 recommend giving this a try.
Bee’s Knees
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce honey syrup — see below
To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, gin, lemon and honey syrup. Shake vigorously for 15 to 30 seconds, until the vessel is cold to the touch. Strain into a coupe or martini glass.
Honey Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1/3 cup hot water
Combine honey and hot water and stir to combine. Use immediately. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
(I didn’t have a full cup of honey — nor was I sure I wanted that much syrup! So, I’ll confess I did the math and did three parts honey to one part hot water to make a far smaller batch. Here’s where knowing kitchen math is super helpful: one tablespoon = three teaspoons. So, I did 1 tablespoon honey to 1 teaspoon boiling water. Made just a little more than the required 3/4 ounces needed.)
