I know, I know… so the critics aren’t loving it. But I went ahead and bought my pair of tickets for The Great Gatsby this weekend anyway! Much like Gatsby himself, when Baz Luhrmann invites you to a party, you show up. We may not know exactly what we’re getting ourselves into, but we can pretty much count on stunning costumes, amazing visuals and a killer soundtrack to boot. Hit or flop, we’re celebrating this afternoon with a classic prohibition-era cocktail, the Bee’s Knees. A gin-based drink with hints of honey and lemon, this little speakeasy specialty is light and easy. We served them up in a few art-deco inspired glasses and garnished each with a single orange wedge. Now, if only we could plan an entire party around this theme…
*inspiration for this recipe taken from Jeffrey Morgenthaler.com
The Bee’s Knees
Ingredients:
- three lemons
- one ounce local honey
- two ounces Hendrick’s gin
- one cup ice
- one orange
Instructions:
First, you’ll create a simple syrup with the honey. Combine equal parts honey and boiling water. Stir well. Jar and refrigerate the syrup. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine one ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice, one ounce of your honey simple syrup, and two ounces of gin. Shake well and strain into a glass of fresh ice. Garnish with one orange wedge.
*photos by Jennifer Rose Smith for Camille Styles