Hendrick's 75 Cocktail

Follow the river, and go through the woods here at the CVI property and you will end up in a magical grove of Christmas spruce trees. Nestled among these trees are our very own prolific beehives, dripping with the most delicious honey. I wanted to capture this enchanting place in an imbibable form, where every sip will take you back time and again. Honey and spruce were a natural starting point, and juniper soon followed, which led to the obvious choice of liquor: Gin. What else could make it magical? Well, bubbles of course! A gnarled turn on the classic French 75 cocktail produces a fresh and fun drink worthy of winter celebrations. 

Source: Culinary Vegetable Institute at The Chef's Garden

Ingredients:

• For the Juniper and Spruce Honey syrup:
• Juniper berries
• 3  four inch sprigs (fresh spruce) 
• 1 cup raw honey
• 1 cup water
• 1½ oz Hendrick’s Gin
• ½ oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ oz juniper and spruce honey syrup
• 2 oz prosecco or other sparkling wine
• Fresh huckleberries, or lemon twist for garnish

Directions:

• In a small saucepan, dissolve raw honey in boiling water.
• Using a mortar and pestle, crush the juniper berries a bit to allow for maximum flavor extraction.
• Remove honey syrup from heat and immediately add crushed juniper berries and spruce sprigs.
• Cover and let steep for at least 15 minutes.
• Taste every so often, as you do not want the juniper and spruce flavor to overpower the cocktail.
• When the honey syrup has taken on just enough of the flavor profile, strain out the juniper and spruce.
• Let cool completely and refrigerate. 

For the Cocktail:

• Chill a traditional coupe glass.
• In a shaker, combine Hendrick’s Gin, lemon, and juniper and spruce honey syrup.
• Add ice and shake.
• Strain mixture into chilled coupe glass.
• Top with 2 oz ice cold prosecco and garnish with fresh huckleberries.