Lilac Spritz
Owner/mixologist Willa Van Nostrand, Little Bitte & World’s Fair Gallery, Providence
Floral cocktails can be misunderstood but DIY floral syrups actually ensure a gentle application of blossoms...
Owner/mixologist Willa Van Nostrand, Little Bitte & World’s Fair Gallery, Providence
As a general rule, fresh citrus emphasizes the floral tones of edible blossoms and floral syrups. Here, fresh lemon and sparkling water help lift the essence of the lilac syrup.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 1 Cocktail
- 2 ounces lilac syrup*
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- Sparkling water
- Lilac blossoms, stems removed, for garnish**
Preparation
Fill a glass with ice; add lilac syrup and lemon juice; top with sparkling water and garnish with lilac blossoms. Makes 1 alcohol-free cocktail.
*Lilac syrup: In a small bowl, combine ½ cup lilac blossoms (about 50), green stems removed, with 1 cup granulated sugar; infuse for up to 24 hours. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil, add blossom mixture and simmer over low heat about 2 minutes, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, fine strain and funnel syrup into a clean glass jar. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
Color hack: If the lilacs do not impart enough color into the syrup, mash 2–3 fresh or frozen blueberries into the syrup while still hot and then strain along with blossoms.
**As always, be sure to properly ID your edible blossoms and only harvest from areas that have not been sprayed with pesticides.
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