To be honest, I have never been a big fan of lavender, the aromatic purple blossoming herb. And I think it’s because of how it was first introduced to me. What I mean by that is I first smelled lavender artificially. You know, it was one of those plug-in scents that a friend had all throughout his home and especially in the bathroom. The smell was so overpowering and perfume that it turned me off to lavender, until today.
You see, last night a kind friend, Marilyn, that I’d met as a guest at Fortify K&B reached out to me on social media to inform me she was harvesting the herb from Longview Lavender, a lavender farm in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in Longcreek, SC. So along with farm owner Hattie, the ladies were on a mission to gift me with fresh and dried lavender with thoughts of fragrant cocktails in mind.
One of the signature cocktails at Longview Lavender is the Bees Knees, a combination of honey, lemon, lavender and gin. That being said, the ladies along with Marilyn’s beau, Ken, paid me a visit today with freshly picked lavender in tow. First of all, anytime anyone brings you a gift it changes your perception of that object. And when that gift is something that was cultivated, cared for and harvested by hand it elevates it even further. However, none of that needed to have occur to make me fall in love with lavender. Simply viewing the delicate nature of this flower/herb and it’s subtle floral aromas were enough to make me think twice. Besides, Farm2Cocktail Tending Nature’s Bar is all about this ish.
Little did this trio know that their gift would be the perfect modifying agent for a cantaloupe shrub I had started earlier today. There’s just so many times you can use basil, mint or ginger, right?!? Hattie, Marilyn, Ken, thank you thank you and thank you for thinking of me today and helping to further round out my list of fresh ingredients to use in my cocktail program.
I also hope y’all enjoyed your Bees Knees libations using #Barrhillgin and #blueridgehoney. It was a pleasure muddling and mixing for you. And the pic we shared creates a memory beyond words. Howbeit so simple of a gesture, my thoughts on lavender are forever changed. Can’t wait to imagine the other possibilities for this fragrant amethyst colored gift from the gods.
Lavender Lemonade Recipe:
