Honey Lavender Syrup for Coffee & Cocktails

As summer wraps up and we start seeing more and more rich, spiced flavors, I still love to incorporate the fruits and flowers that remain in abundance until well into fall. Lavender is a summer bloom, but it will continue to grow as long as it stays warm -- and there's no better time to stock up on fresh (or dried!) bundles before they disappear. I've visited lavender farms on both coasts, but this ingredient is also readily available at farm markets and online -- just make sure it's designated as edible lavender (because the kind meant for flower arrangements can be sprayed with toxic pesticides and preservatives).

Honey lavender syrup is one of my favorites to make full stop, no matter what time of year, because it's so versatile -- which leads to less waste when you make a big batch. You can keep the bottle in the fridge, use it in the morning to flavor your coffee, and in the evening to flavor your cocktails. Since I always have seltzer on hand, I use it to flavor afternoon sodas, too -- which also makes it perfect for those who don't drink alcohol.

Lavender is, of course, a floral flavor, so it pairs best with a floral coffee bean, but a strong honey backbone gives it enough umph to stand up to a richer roast as well. My ultimate latte comes from my DeLonghi Eletta, which actually grinds the beans fresh for each and every espresso it pours -- yes, you read that right. It grinds just the right amount of beans for each cup with the push of a button -- a full bean-to-cup transformation in a matter of seconds, which makes for exceptionally fresh flavor (important if you want to capture those floral notes).

The Eletta also has a removable milk jug for push-button frothing and steaming that you can store in the fridge, so you don't have to clean out the container every time you make a drink like most machines. This has been HUGE for me -- possibly my favorite feature of a machine that's loaded with them (cup warming tray, anyone?!). It works with nut milks, too -- oat and almond are probably my favorite for this recipe.

You can use this syrup to sweeten regular drip coffee, too -- the possibilities are pretty endless. If you drizzle it on your pancakes and ice cream, or spoon some into your tea, I'm definitely not going to judge. Honey Lavender Syrup makes just about everything better.