ALCHEMIST COCKTAILS

Garden Martini – gin, rose, happiness

INGREDIENTS: 30ml gin, 1½ teaspoons elderflower liqueur, 1½ teaspoons rose liqueur, 15ml (1 tablespoon)

L&G (see below), 25ml apple juice, 100ml lavender foam (see below), cucumber slice, to garnish.

L&G recipe: ( makes 750ml) 20g finely grated lemon zest or peel, 500ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (around 15 large lemons), 200g caster sugar, 5ml (1 teaspoon) lemon bitters. Place the lemon zest or peel in a large jug. Pour the lemon juice over the zest and leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes. After infusing, add the caster sugar and lemon bitters and stir to dissolve. Once all of the sugar has dissolved, strain through a fine strainer to remove the zest, and pour the liquid into a sterilised bottle. It will keep for four days in the fridge.

Lavender Foam: (makes 400ml) 125 lavender syrup, 125ml filtered water, 25ml lemon juice,

125 pasteurised egg whites, 5ml (1 teaspoon) soy lecithin.

With a 500ml foamer. Place all ingredients in a large jug and stir well to combine, making sure there are no lumps. Pour into the foamer, secure the lid tightly and charge with a N2O charge. Shake well before using.

Without a foamer. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine, making sure there are no lumps. Use an electric whisk to whip the mixture until it forms stiff peaks. Carefully transfer this mixture into a piping bag with a nozzle and refrigerate until ready to use. Method: Half fill a Boston shaker with ice. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, rose liqueur, L&G and apple juice. Shake well. Strain through a fine strainer into a coupe. Finish with the lavender foam and slice of cucumber.