One of the easiest ways to incorporate florals into your cocktails is by picking up some bitters from your specialty Cocktail Shop! It’s a concentrated dose of flavour in which a little goes a long way. That’s why I’ve paired it in up an delicious Watermelon Gin Cocktail made with Sheringham Seaside Gin and Fever-Tree’s Sparkling Grapefruit Soda.
Missed the action live on CTV’s The Social? Well you’re in luck! If you want to watch this segment live in action, make sure to click on the photo below.
Incorporating Lavender in your Cocktails
I find that Lavender can be quite picky when it comes to it’s flavour pairing. Not everything works. It can’t be paired with an overwhelming flavour, plus Lavender itself can be easily overpower a dish or drink. That’s why balance is so key, and using something like bitters is more forgiving and flexible to work with when balancing your cocktails. There’s a ton of Lavender Bitters I recommend, if you can find them! But currently, Nickel9, El Guapo’s Love bitters and Top Shelf bitters are the Lavender bitters I’m leaning towards.
When pairing Lavender, I find Clear Spirits work best. So lean into your Unaged Cachaca’s, Vodka, Pisco, Blanco Tequila, etc. In this particular case, I pair it with Gin, and choosing the right Gin is key to making this right!
Choosing your Gin
It can be often intimidating walking through your liquor store and seeing all the Gin options that are often available. What works great in a martini? What if you want something with less Juniper? Thankfully, there aren’t too many terrible Gins to choose from, so it’s all about knowing its style, and for me, this Sheringham Seaside Gin from Sheringham check marks so many boxes.
So few Gins I find you can sip neat, but this Gin you absolutely can. That means it would be a great Martini options, but I find the Juniper is not overwhelming at all. In addition, this Gin itself already has some floral notes, in particular Lavender which is why I really wanted to highlight that flavour in the cocktail by adding a few dashes of Lavender Bitters.
If for some reason you can’t find this lovely BC Gin, lean in towards something that doesn’t have an overwhelming Juniper palate, as well as some citrus and floral notes to pair. Less spice, more bright is the aim here and this cocktail will win you over!
Making your Floral Rims and Advice
When it comes to Edible Flowers and what can be safe to consume, the information out there can get overwhelming, so I’m going to keep it as simple as possible with these go-to rules:
- Avoid the Pesticides – Most florals in flower shops are sprayed, and as soon as that comes into pay, you just want to avoid it at all costs. Thing is though, your florist may be connected with Local growers that can guarantee that they don’t spray certain varietals.
- You can PURCHASE Edible Flowers in Specialty Stores – This option is great, and you know you’re guaranteed safe with the selection. The thing is, they tend to be more pricey than the other options.
- Standard Go-To’s – There are some species that you can feel safe about, from Lavender, Elderflower, Voilas, Pansies, Carnations and even think about some of the blooms that comes from good. For example Zucchini Blossoms, the blooms from Thyme and Chives. Again, if you grow it yourself, you know if it’s been sprayed or not and it’s it safe!
- Roses could work, but if you can guarantee it’s not Sprayed – I’ve seen a ton of references when it comes to roses, but expert advice from florists tell me that MOST Roses offered are sprayed. So be mindful of this when wanting to work with them.
- Hanging Baskets for the WIN! – Those beautiful Hanging Baskets that you pick up in the early spring are great options for incorporating florals in your cocktails. Just double check that the species of florals on them are safe to eat, as well as not sprayed! The internet has a ton of info for specific breeds.
To create the Floral powder, you have a few different methods from Microwave, Dehydrator, Oven and even just simply leaving the leaves out in the sun to dry. My biggest advice though is to use more delicate floral petals as thick ones take a lot longer to dry. Also removing them from their centre or other pedals will allow them to dry much quicker. Again, you’ll want to use the florals mentioned above.
Love Potion
A delicious Shaken Cocktail made with Sheringham Seaside Gin, Watermelon, Lavender, top with sparkling Grapefruit Soda to tie it all together in this Summer Refresher.
– Difficulty: Intermediate
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Sheringham Gin
- 0.25 Cup Watermelon Cubes
- 3 dashes TBD Bitters
- 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
- 0.75 oz Simple Syrup 1:1
- 0.5 oz Fever Tree’s Sparkling Grapefruit Soda
Instructions
- Start by Prepping your glassware by using citrus or Agave nectar, placing it on the rim or side of the glass and sprinkle over top with the dried floral leaves.
- In a Shaker, muddle Watermelon and add all of your ingredients except Soda. Fill with a handful of ice and shake.
- Strain into collins glass with ice and top with soda.
Recipe Notes
Simple Syrup Recipe is a combo of 1 part boiled water with 1 part granulated sugar.
