Today’s recipe is brought to you by Elsa, Dinners With Dan‘s newest featured contributor!  

It’s time to start a new aspect of Dinners With Dan. Great meals are often complimented by great drinks.  And great drinks make for great times, and really, what more could you ever ask for?  It is with this in mind that I would like to introduce my good friend Elsa.  Elsa will be sharing a couple drink recipes with us each month, and if the rest are like this one, I know I’m in trouble.  I hope you all enjoy as much as I am.  Without further ado, to Elsa:

This week I’ll be talking about my signature cocktail – the Happy Sherlock.

For those of you who aren’t aware of the magical practice of infusing liquors, you are about to learn how to upgrade your home bar from that cheap nonsense you bought at the liquor store, to something your friends will ask you to make for them!

The Happy Sherlock

What You’ll Need:

• Martini Shaker
• Tea Strainer
• Empty Bottle
• Ice
• Simple Syrup
• Lavender Bitters
• Lemon juice
• Lemon twist
• Earl Grey Tea
• Gin
• Teacups

How to Make It:

Step 1: The day before you want to make the Happy Sherlock (as in, right now) get some gin. It doesn’t have to be GOOD gin, but it does have to be relatively non juniper-y gin. For this, I like to go with Amsterdam. Get some Earl Grey loose leaf tea (or simply rip open a teabag) and put the tea directly into the gin. Let it sit in a non-sunshiney place by itself for 8-12 hours. Taste if you feel like it. The gin should be a tea like color by the time it is done. Shake the bottle a bit to make sure it infuses all of the liquid.

Step 2: Strain the gin so that all the tea bits get out, using your tea strainer, and then pour into your empty bottle.

Step 3: Put ice in the martini shaker.

Step 4: Pour 3 ounces (or 6 if you’re making it for two) of the gin into the martini shaker and shake not too vigorously, but vigorously enough.

Step 5: Pour the gin into the teacups.

Step 6: Add just a touch of the lavender bitters, a wee bit of the simple syrup, and a dash of the lemon juice and stir with a spoon.

Step 7: Garnish with a lemon twist if you wish.

Step 8: Enjoy. Preferably while smoking a meershaum pipe and/or shooting the initials V.R. into the wall with a handgun.

Cheers!

———-

Thanks so much for this cocktail recipe, Elsa!  I can’t wait until your next one!

As always, if you feel inspired to make this delicious recipe, let me know how it goes!  Tweet me, comment below, or post on the Dinners With Dan Facebook page!

Until next time, happy cooking!