Lavender... not just for Bath and Body Works anymore.

During the summertime in the south, there is the feeling that you should be on a porch somewhere drinking a refreshing, but clearly alcoholic, drink and strolling through a conversation with your friends. As I am not a mint julep girl, I'm always on the lookout for a new warm weather beverage. Yesterday, my friend Jenna was perusing my spice rack and found a canister of lavender. Well, when you find an interesting ingredient, you have to use it. So we started perusing the web for ideas and came across several variations on lavender lemonade. After picking our favorite bits from different ones and a surprisingly long grocery store trip, we (and by "we" I mean "Jenna") started juicing lemons. Lots of lemons. 15 lemons. Admittedly, they were rather small and not as juicy as one would like, but still.

After various preparations (to be detailed below), we decided to try the finished product with vodka in one glass and tequila in the other. The vodka just tasted like the lavender lemonade, hardly even added a kick. The tequila, however, blended perfectly with the tangy sweetness of the underlying drink, and we both decided to stick to that version for the rest of the night. I'm writing this the following morning and I still think that was a good idea. Of course, you can go with whichever suits your tastes better (or any fear of tequila you may have developed after particularly interesting nights).

Tasty beverage recipe after the jump...

Lavender Lemonade

3 cups fresh lemon juice
6 cups water (divided)
2 cups sugar (We used 1 cup sugar, 1 cup splenda)
1/4 cup lavender flowers

1) In medium saucepan, combine sugar and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, stirring often under sugar is completely dissolved.

2) Remove from heat and stir in lavender flowers, allow to steep for 2 hours or until cool.

3) Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, being sure to extract the liquid from the flowers as well.

4) In a large bowl or pitcher, add the lemon juice and 4 cups of cold water, stir to combine.

5) Serve over ice in tall glasses.

6) OPTIONAL: add a shot of tequila or vodka to the glass before pouring and stir to mix.

If at all possible, drink this on a porch, but I guess by the pool or just standing in your kitchen work fine too.