Lavender Is Trying To Become The New Cocktail Of Choice Ingredient

Pleasantly fragrant and packed with medicinal benefits, lavender has become a popular ingredient the world loves to infuse into candles, beauty products, cleaning agents, and calming teas. Chefs and restaurants will even mix lavender into various dishes and bakes to balance out the flavors or use it as a garnish to give a meal a little pop of color, according to MasterClass. People can't seem to get enough of this purple wonder plant, and now you can enjoy it in the form of an elegant cocktail.

As mixologists experimented with the best herbs to add to cocktails and drink recipes have constantly evolved, it was only a matter of time before lavender would waft its way into bars and liquor menus everywhere. Research tells us that lavender has appeared on 6.2% of American menus in recent years, showing up 45% more than it ever has before (via Nation's Restaurant News). Its aromatic qualities and eye-catching violet hues make it a flowery treat perfect for sipping at a springtime brunch or on a warm summer evening. 

Mixologists have concocted a number of delicate floral mixed drinks you can try or even make yourself, but there's a specific way to make it if you want to avoid a bitter failure. Fresh or dried, all parts of the lavender plant can be used as a subtle infusion and have been known to work effectively as a sleep aid and to reduce anxiety. You may be thinking, "I'll take all I can get!" However, when considering mixing this member of the mint family into your spirits, there is such a thing as too much.

Add small amounts of lavender until all the flavors of your drink taste like they are well-balanced. Dumping a heap of it into your mixture or "eye-balling" it isn't the way to go, as you could risk overpowering the whole recipe with a bitter, earthy taste that is anything but pleasant. A little goes a long way.

If you've got a green thumb and decide to grow lavender yourself, you can dry it and infuse it into your liquor of choice. "Use a teaspoon of dried lavender to infuse 1 cup of vodka, gin, or tequila overnight to add cool floral notes to the booze," (via Chilled Magazine). Experiment with the differences in flavor profiles between dried and fresh lavender in your own mixed drinks and relish in the complete control you have over the overall taste. Or check out local bar menus to discover your favorite lavender cocktail recipes and learn what delicious creations are blooming nearby. You can also enjoy non-alcoholic drinks by adding it to lemonade or a making a classic lavender-steeped tea to give you a hint of the herb's soothing powers.

Lacing your post-work adult beverage with this purple touch of heaven sounds like the ideal way to kick off a relaxing night. So we'd like to order lavender everything, please.