Hi All,
Today I have another guest post for Tipsy Tuesday! This one is from my friend Cael, and he made some lavender infused gin! – What is it with everyone around me infusing alcohol?- I need to drink with my friends more!
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(picture taken from our local lavender farm in Prince Edward County!)
This recipe has to be one of the easiest I’ve ever tried. All you need are a few common kitchen bits and bobs, your favourite bottle of gin (or vodka!) and some dried lavender.
If you have access to locally grown herbs and flowers – then that is the way to go! There is truly nothing more relaxing than wandering through a lavender farm in full bloom on a sunny afternoon.
If not, there are several venues online that cater specifically to the needs of do-it-yourself’ers everywhere, a couple of favourites are: Atelier Emma Rose @ Etsy and Weir’s Lane Lavender & Apiary (Toronto- it’s local!)
Ingredients:
* 200ml Gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
* 1.5 – 2 tbsp Culinary-Grade dried lavender
Tools:
* 250ml Mason Jar (sealable)
* Small Funnel
* Straining agent – Fine mesh sieve, cheesecloth, coffee filter, etc
The beauty of lavender infused gin is that there is very little work to be done, which suits me just fine considering this is a brand new venture. (Then again – it’s alcohol! How could anything ever go wrong with that?) The most difficult part, by far, would be having to wait. The smell alone is enough to test your resolve!
Now to start off, measure out some of that gorgeous lavender and place it inside your Mason jar. Follow that up with your gin, and seal tightly.
Make sure to place your jar in a cool, dark place for 24 hours, shaking lightly every so often. After a couple of hours, your infusion with begin to take on a slightly yellow colouring – This will continue to intensify as the steeping progresses.
FYI: If you’re looking for more of a purple colour for your new gin, go ahead and pop a few blueberries in there as well. The dried lavender releases its flavour much quicker than the blueberries, so you’ll retain the integrity of your floral product while extracting a light violet tinge from the fruit.
FYI: If you’re looking for more of a purple colour for your new gin, go ahead and pop a few blueberries in there as well. The dried lavender releases its flavour much quicker than the blueberries, so you’ll retain the integrity of your floral product while extracting a light violet tinge from the fruit.
You’re almost finished! All that’s left to do now is to strain the liquid two or three times, in order to remove any unwanted grit and lavender buds, and bottle!
A word on storage – If your chosen brand of alcohol came in a plastic bottle, it would be best to purchase a glass container for your new libation, or simply return the strained final product to a clean Mason jar. Alcohol is very efficient when it comes to drawing unwanted chemicals from plastic and, aside from those chemicals being gross and bad for your health, it may compromise the taste of your drink! We can’t have that!
You’re finished!
Serve chilled with tonic, or get creative with a cocktail! Whichever you choose, this is sure to be the perfect addition to the late summer weather.
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Thanks so much for the post Cael- you’ll need to make me a Gin Fizz when I see you next!! mmm
Hope you’re all having a very tipsy Tuesday!!
xo erin
This looks sooooo delicious! Can't wait to try.
Claire
Thanks Claire! <3