This time of year, I always start craving bright, fresh cocktails that are evocative of the season's bounty--fledgling herbs and the green citrus notes that seem to permeate the air come April.  They are a great way to kick off a fun Saturday night dinner or linger over with a friend in the garden. 

One of my all-time favorite spring cocktails is the gimlet.  Cousin to the margarita and the whiskey sour, it is a simple mixture of freshly squeezed lime juice and gin, easy to make and so refreshing--especially after a day of gardening!  I was contemplating a gimlet for this very reason last night while tending to my lavender when a thought occurred to me.  Wouldn't my gimlet be just divine with a hint of lavender flavor?   Yes, yes it would.  And it was. 

Some people prefer to make gimlets with vodka, but for this recipe, the herbaceousness of a good gin compliments the lavender nicely.  I used the local Santa Fe Spirits' Wheeler's Gin, but any quality gin will do.  Also, use fresh lime juice--that neon green fake stuff at the liquor store is just plain gross and the bottled stuff doesn't have the zing you need to balance out the sweetness of the lavender simple syrup.  To learn how to make this easy, simple syrup recipe, click here.

Cocktail Ingredients:

1.5 oz lime juice (1 shot)

3 oz gin (2 shots)

ice

.75 oz lavender simple syrup (1/2 shot)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake well.  Pour into a glass and enjoy!