By Tristan Hickenbottom, bar manager, Süda in Santa Cruz
- 1½ ounces Blade Gin
- ½ ounce lavender simple syrup
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 3–4 basil leaves
- 3 cucumber pieces, sliced into quarterinch thick discs
- Champagne-style sparkling wine
Lavender simple syrup: Pick a handful of live flowering lavender. Remove the flowering bud from the stem until you have ½ to ¾ cup of flower tops.
In a saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil then turn down heat to simmer. Add 6 cups of organic sugar (cane or raw). Stir until completely dissolved and the liquid has become transparent. Set heat to low and add lavender, stirring occasionally for the first 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let sit until mixture has cooled. Use a funnel with cheesecloth or a super-fine mesh strainer (bouillon strainer) to strain out the lavender. Refrigerate and enjoy for up to 3 weeks.
Muddle both basil and cucumber in a mixing glass. Add all additional ingredients and ice. Shake for 9–12 seconds until frost begins to form on shaker tin. Double-strain into a cocktail or wine glass. Add a light float of champagne style sparkling wine (brute) to taste. Garnish with a cucumber wheel. Enjoy!
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
