December 15, 2017 Advent with SusieJ

Bee's Knees

Honey is the hot thing for the holidays. Honey bars. Honey liqueurs. Honey cocktails. Philly even has a honey restaurant in the Bucks County county seat of Doylestown, very clearly named Honey.

• 2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon
• 3/4 ounce honey syrup (50-50 honey-water)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Honey syrup is equal parts honey and water. Use the best, most floral honey you can find; a local honey will be superb for this, but I also like the German brands Langnese and Breitsamer. Measure at least a quarter cup of honey into a heat-proof (Pyrex!) measuring cup; pour in an equal amount of boiling water and stir until the honey dissolves. If your honey is too solid to pour into the measuring cup, melt it by boiling a small saucepot of water, removing the pot from the heat, and letting the bottle sit in the hot water until the honey is less viscous and more fluid. Re-boil the water if all the honey doesn't melt.

Substitute bourbon for the gin to make a Gold Rush.