Eddie V’s brings drinkers into the hive with the Bee Keeper

The Bee Keeper

COMMENTARY

Part of the desire for any cocktail is a moment of class. We may enjoy cracking open a beer or drinking liquor neat and warm, but a cocktail — the sheer effort of blending, mixing, garnishing, serving in an elaborate, sometimes unwieldy glass — implies a total experience. We are connected to a social or meditative moment by the visuals, the aromas, the sounds of glasses clinking.

Darden chain Eddie V’s Prime Seafood is so devoted to this idea that their cocktail menu is laid out by mood, with drinks categorized as “Idealism,” “Fortitude” or “Decadence.” The Orlando location (7488 W. Sand Lake Road, 407-355-3011, eddiev.com) features a classic jazzy atmosphere, a perfect hive for the Bee Keeper.

The cocktail is a twist on the Prohibition-Era drink the Bee’s Knees. Where the original uses gin and is primarily a sour, the Bee Keeper is vodka based and has a couple other tricks up its sleeve.

“We use fresh lemon juice, so it’s a little more bitter,” said bartender Ivey Miller. “And then the honey syrup is a 50-50 honey and water mix, so it’s not too sweet, which I think is nice because then you can have more than one.”

The thyme sprigs used only in the mixing process (not placed in the glass) also keep the flavor fresh and botanical. It’s a heavy enough drink to have with a meal and light enough to have as an apéritif.

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2 1.5 1 2 1. Garnish 2. Place 3. Add 4. Strain thyme sprigs ounces honey syrup ounce lemon juice ounces Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka Fresh honeycomb on a pick a chilled martini glass with a fresh honeycomb on pick across glass. thyme sprigs, honey syrup, lemon juice and vodka in a shaker. ice to shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. drink into martini glass.