Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Emmet Kelty

FOCUS: NETTLES

Serves 1

2 ounces bourbon
¾ ounces lemon juice (preferably Meyer)
¾ ounces nettle syrup*

Combine in a mixing glass, add ice, stir and pour over crushed ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Rim the glass with a lemon peel and place in cocktail.

*Honey Syrup:
1 cup water¾ cup sugar
¼ cup molasses (an ode to the Great Molasses Flood)
2 cups nettles
Juice of half a lemon

Heat water, sugar, and molasses over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and, wearing clean kitchen gloves or using tongs, add nettle leaves. Steep for at least half an hour. Strain and add lemon.

This recipe appeared in the Spring 2017 issue as part of a larger story on Spring Cocktails.