Lavender-Pink Peppercorn Vodka Sodas
The combination of lavender and pink peppercorns gives a regular vodka soda a floral note with a bit of a bite. Add the leftover syrup to seltzer for a grown-up soft drink.
- Level: Easy
- Total: 35 min (includes steeping and cooling times)
- Active: 15 min
- Yield: 4 cocktails
Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried lavender
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, plus more for garnish
1 vanilla bean
8 to 12 ounces good-quality vodka
1 liter club soda
Sprigs of fresh lavender, for serving
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
- Combine the sugar, lavender, peppercorns and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the back of a paring knife and add them to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to submerge the lavender. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the syrup steep for 10 minutes. Pour the lavender syrup through cheesecloth placed over a fine-mesh strainer, and refrigerate the syrup until completely cooled.
- Fill 4 Collins glasses with ice. Add 2 to 3 ounces of vodka and 1 ounce of the lavender syrup into each glass, and top off with club soda. Crush some peppercorns on a cutting board with the back of a knife. Stir the cocktail with a long spoon, and garnish with lavender, lemon wedges and crushed peppercorns.
