lilac

We’ve lived in our little coastal town for just slightly over a year now. One of the best parts about being settled in is that I got to start gardening at the start of gardening season. As a result, we have peas, radishes, and kale looking great, along with about a half dozen pots of assorted herbs. (I want all the mints, please.) Even better, we’ve been able to watch the established plants - the rhododendrons and lilacs - start blooming.

Which, combined with an obsession with learning all about what can be foraged here, has led to a lot of research on what’s edible in my own backyard. I learned last year that lilac flowers are perfectly safe to eat. However, last year, the lilacs were just about done when I figured that out, so I managed one cocktail and then made a note to myself to do some more experimenting this year.

First off was lilac jelly. Of course, once I’d made that, I had to try it in a cocktail, which resulted in this lilac lemon drop martini. This is a fruity and floral martini - perfect for early grilling or for a fancy brunch. If my itty bitty Meyer lemon tree grows up to actually produce Meyer lemons, I can imagine using them in place of regular lemons. If you have a bit of lilac sugar hanging around, it makes a great sugar rim for the lilac lemon drop martini.