Lavender Simple Syrup #recipe by Mia P. Manansala @MPMtheWriter

I’m not a big fan of floral flavors. I enjoy jasmine tea and black tea with a hint of rose. I’ve had Jeni’s wildberry lavender ice cream and it was super delicious. But in general, a lot of the floral treats I’ve had reminded me of potpourri because the floral notes were very heavy-handed, particularly the lavender-flavored treats. So I didn’t expect a lavender chai latte to become one of my absolute favorite drinks, until it was recommended to me by the owner of Brewpoint Craft Oak Park.

Melissa, the Brewpoint Craft owner, is a fellow Filipino American and she was kind enough to meet me for an interview since I’ve been doing research on what it’s like to own and run a cafe for my Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery Series. Brewpoint Craft has an extensive drink menu (as well as cocktails and charcuterie!), so I asked her what she recommended. She told me people come from all over just for their lavender chai latte with oat milk. I decided to give it a shot and fell in love. Since then, I’ve been trying to recreate it at home, and I started with the lavender simple syrup, which can be the base for many fun drinks. Keep an eye on this space because I’ll be sharing many of my drink experiments here!

Lavender Simple Syrup Recipe

Yield: about one cup (8oz)

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1 heaping TBSP culinary grade dried lavender

Directions:

1. Add the sugar and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, add the lavender and turn off the heat.
3. Let the syrup steep for 30-60 minutes, depending on how strong you want the flavor.
4. Strain into a clean jar and discard the lavender buds.
5. Enjoy in a variety of drinks!

Cast of Characters

Add sugar and water to a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved.

Add a heaping tablespoon of dried lavender to the simple syrup.

Turn off the heat and let the lavender steep for 30-60 minutes, to your desired strength.

Strain the mixture into a clean glass jar (I used a tea strainer).

Your lavender simple syrup is now ready! Use it to sweeten anything that could benefit from a hint of floral sweetness, such as coffee, tea, lemonade, and seltzer water.

How do you feel about floral flavors? Do you have a favorite floral drink or treat? Let me know in the comments!

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