In our Spring “Drinks” Issue, beekeeper and “Notes from the Meadow” columnist Laura Klahre reminded every one that without bees a lot of our favorite cocktails would be impossible. One of the best ways to really lodge that idea in your head would be to make a Bee Knees cocktail. It was a favorite in the ’20s when gin was all the rage. We’ve updated it to take advantage of the local herbs that are probably growing in your backyard and were definitely used to make Deepwells Botanical Dry Gin, also featured in the Spring Issue.
Edible’s Bees Knees Cocktail
2 oz. Deepwells Botanical Dry Gin
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz. Blossom Meadow honey simple syrup 1:1
Mint leaves
Garnish with mint or lemon twist
Steep mint leaves in 3/4 oz. hot water. Whisk in honey and strain. To make one cocktail, pour half the honey mixture, the gin and the lemon juice over ice in a shaker. Shake until little flakes of ice cover the top. Strain into a chilled martini glass. If using a lemon twist: cut a wide strip of peel off a lemon without including the pith. Once cocktail is in the glass, squeeze the twist, skin side down over the drink. The oil from the twist should coat the top of the cocktail. Rub twist on the glass’s rim and drop in cocktail.
