Let a staple of a the classic French garden inspire you in the kitchen. Lavender punches up this special cocktail recipe and makes a great addition to shortbread.

BEE’S KNEES

This is an old-fashioned cocktail and often considered the gin drink for the non-gin drinker. Your house will smell like the middle of summer in Provence while you’re making the Lavender Honey Syrup for this recipe.

Servings: 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lavender honey syrup
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly picked lavender blossoms

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a shaker full of ice. Shake vigorously for 10 full seconds. Double strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lavender sprig.

Lavender Honey Syrup

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/8 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon lavender

INSTRUCTIONS

Lavender Honey Syrup

Combine hot water with honey and stir until evenly mixed. Add lavender, stirring to combine. Let cool, approximately 30 minutes, then pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove lavender.

And while you’re at it, having picked the lavender blossoms, make a bunch of these cookies. There is no reason not to enjoy a couple of these with your Bee’s Knees.

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on cookies
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lavender
  

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined, about 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose and cake flours. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between each addition. Add the lavender and mix to just combine.

Roll out the dough to a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut the dough into 2 x 1-inch bars and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies until just golden at the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with granulated sugar. Let cool completely before serving.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Pomegranate and Rosemary Cocktail

A perfect Fall cocktail to kick of the holiday season.

Ingredients

• 4 oz high quality gin
• 3 oz pomegranate juice
• 2 oz simple syrup infused with rosemary (see below)
• Fizzy water
• 2 small rosemary sprigs (for garnish)
• Two small fistfuls pomegranate seeds (for garnish)

Instructions

• Fill 2 highball glasses with ice.
• Divide gin, pomegranate juice and sugar syrup between the two glasses
• Top with fizzy water and stir.
• Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and some pomegranate seeds

Simple Syrup with Rosemary

Ingredients

• 1 cup (8 ounces) water
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary

Instructions

• In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat add water, sugar and rosemary.
• Stir until sugar completely dissolves. Let mixture simmer for 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature allowing the flavors to deepen – about 2 hours.
• Once cooled, pour syrup through a strainer and throw away the rosemary sprigs.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons, Pomegranates is licensed under CC0 by 1.0

Pomegranate Seed and Mint Relish

For me, November begins to announce the holidays in the Santa Ynez Valley, even if it’s still warm. At the start of our driveway is a pomegranate tree that bears the brightest red fruit and in our back yard are several miniature ornamental pomegranate trees with showy, little dark red balls. This juicy fruit is only in season for a short time, but perfect timing for a feast. I’m going to make this instead of, or along with, cranberry sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• • 1/2 small shallot, chopped
  • 2 cups pomegranate seeds
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp good aged Balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp real maple syrup
  • 1 cup finely chopped fresh mint
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

PREPARATION

Combine shallot, pomegranate seeds, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegars, maple syrup and chopped mint in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. You could make it a day early, but wait to add the mint just before you plan to use the relish.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons, Pomegranate Tree is licensed under CC0 by 1.0

Garden Recipes: Green Peach Salad

Sometimes there are so many peaches on your tree, you’re eating and drinking the beautiful fruit, but you’ve got to have something for lunch that is not quite so sweet.  Have this:

Green Peach Salad (for 4 to 6)
2 ½ lb. unripe peaches, peeled and sliced like you’re going to make a pie
Scant ¼ c sugar *
½ t salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper
2 T excellent, flavorful olive oil
2 T fresh mint chiffonade
A handful of arugula for each plate

Toss the peaches with the sugar and salt and let them sit for ten minutes. Add olive oil, mint and pepper and refrigerate for 30+ minutes.  Put a handful of arugula on each plate and then the peach salad. You can also add small or medium shrimp, some garlic mayonnaise and sliced scallions. That’s good too.

*Scant means “just barely.”

Photo Credit: Peach Salad, Creative Commons, Peach salad by viamarisol, is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. 

Garden Cocktails: Peach Bellini

It isn’t surprising news—peaches are in season until September. In the last throes of the summer, we’ll be looking back on these lush days and lush stone fruits a little wistfully. Peaches for every meal would be perfect…breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and cocktails. The trees grow best in full sun in a location where cold air or frost will not settle. Sounds like they grow well in California…Get yourself a tree!  But first, have a drink.

How many Bellinis have you had? Ever make it with fresh peaches?  Invite a friend and celebrate the summer with this easy garden cocktail.

Fresh Peach Bellini (for the two of you)

2 ripe but not squishy white peaches, seed removed, diced (they smell so good)
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ t honey
1 bottle Prosecco

Put the first three ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree. Press the mixture through a sieve.  Put 2 tablespoons of the puree into each champagne coupe and fill with cold Prosecco. Drink. Repeat.

Be full of praise for peaches, Prosecco and summer.

Photo Credit:

White Peaches, Creative Commons, White Peaches by Dave Parker, is licensed under CC by 2.0

Edible Garden: All About Tomatoes

Emily Moore of Sproutabl, a lawn and garden blog, shares her best tips and practices for growing tomatoes. Check out her helpful infographic below:

And if you’re thinking of using containers, here are some great container garden pot options from our Italian terracotta Classic line and Contemporary terracotta collection.

Photo Credit: Emily Moore, Sproutabl