Lavender Gin & Tonic

Lavender Gin & Tonic: The perfect way to cool down on hot summer nights.

Ah, summer! It’s been hot, hot, hot here, with no rain or cool nights in sight. My perfect cocktail to cool down with is a Gin & Tonic.

Gin, gin, ginny gin gin :)

Did you know that June 13th was World Gin Day? I know – it sneaks up on me every year, too! I celebrated this auspicious day with some of my friends. We all brought a selection of gins, tonics, bitters, and other add-ins, and shared some cocktails, good food, and laughter.

My favourite Gin & Tonic of the evening was a Lavender Gin & Tonic, make with Lavender Simple Syrup and this gin from Ampersand Distilling Co. on Vancouver Island, BC. It would also be great with Bombay Sapphire gin. The tonic I used was Indian Tonic from Fever Tree. The lavender really brought out the floral and citrus botanicals in the gin.

Try this Gin & Tonic and let me know what you think – if you come up with something interesting, post it in the comments. Enjoy!

Lavender Gin & Tonic

Makes 1 Cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Lavender Simple Syrup (recipe here)
• 1 oz. Gin
• Tonic water
• Ice cubes
• Blueberries and sprigs of lavender for garnish

Directions

1. Pour syrup into an old-fashioned glass. Add gin, and stir until combined. Add ice cubes and top with tonic water. Garnish with a lavender sprig and blueberries. Enjoy!

Lavender Panna Cotta with Blueberry Riesling Sauce

On a recent trip through Okanagan wine country in central British Columbia, I was sitting in the pretty flower garden at Peachcliff B&B, enjoying the scents of lavender and roses. As I sipped the crisp local white wine, I was inspired by the aromas and the countryside to create this unique dessert. Lavender had been in the forefront of my mind anyway, and I was lucky to be in the area just as it started to bloom.

At first I thought, "Will this taste like hand lotion?" The answer? It doesn't! Lavender adds a slightly herbaceous, almost fruity flavour, with a very faint, flowery note. I also made Lavender Syrup from the flowers (recipe here).

This decadent dessert is not overly sweet, so it pairs wonderfully with a slightly sweet white wine that has great acidity, like this botrytis-affected Riesling from Wild Goose Vineyards in Okanagan Falls, BC.  

I hope you try this decadent, creamy treat, and that it evokes images of wine country for you as well.






Click through for recipe and instructions...

Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread

What? There's fruit in it.

The holidays are over, and all the Christmas treats have been devoured, mostly by me. The gingerbread, chocolates and shortbread cookies are now a sweet memory. Lately, I have been craving fresh fruit (but not mandarin oranges, haha). When I saw fresh blueberries on sale at the local grocery, I knew I wanted to bake them up into something non-holiday related. Result: Blueberry Cream Cheese Quick Bread!

Sunday Brunch: Belgian Waffles

When in Bruges...

My family recently gathered to celebrate my Dad's 80th birthday with a birthday brunch of Belgian waffles. I had not made waffles in ages, so I was thankful for an excuse to use our waffle iron, which had been languishing unused in a dark corner of the cupboard.

I served the waffles warm, with whipped cream mixed with cream cheese, vanilla and a bit of sugar. Topped with sliced strawberries, freshly picked from a Fraser Valley garden, and fresh blueberries, the waffles made a decadent brunch for a special guy.

Blueberry Pie

I scored a huge box of fresh, local blueberries at the Langley Community Farmers Market recently. Plump and juicy, bursting with that tangy-sweet flavour, these little blue jewels demanded to be stuffed immediately into a delicious pie.

Farm Fresh Blueberries

This is my favourite recipe for blueberry pie. The pastry crust I prefer for this pie uses all butter (pâte brisée), recipe included after the jump. If making pie pastry intimidates you or if you're in a hurry, then use a purchased double-crust pie shell. I hope you like it!

Blueberry Pie with all-butter pastry crust