For our family, Easter is a time to rest, reflect, and embrace those around us.

It’s a moment to think about more than the business or chaos of our everyday lives and to consider faith, family, and things that matter deeply to us.

It’s also a time to plan for family get-togethers, meals, and games. While we love the classic family gathering meals and staple dishes, we also like switching things up and finding a few quiet moments during a busy weekend to gather with a small group for an intimate brunch.

There’s just something about brunch. A steaming cup of coffee, people gathered haphazardly around the table, everyone sharing in a slow sleepy morning and enjoying scones, bacon, eggs and fruit.

We love the way a relaxed meal can bring out good conversation, and help to create moments to remember with family and friends. Are we romanticizing brunch a little? Maybe. But there really is something magical about any meal that isn’t rushed and hectic. Where people sit down, enjoy food and community without rushing off to the next thing on the calendar.

We hope you find peace this Easter season, and we hope this little recipe can be shared with the people close to you during a celebration of your own.

Sparkling Lavender Lemonade

Ingredients

Lavender Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 teaspoons dried culinary lavender

Lemonade

• 3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups sparkling water (or Prosecco)
• 1 cup lavender syrup
• Pinch of dried culinary lavender or fresh lavender sprigs for garnish

Instructions

Lavender Syrup

1. Combine sugar, water, and lavender in a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat.
2. Whisk ingredients together until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and let the mixture cool completely.
5. Store in covered saucepan or transfer into a sealed container.
6. Keep the mixture in the fridge overnight allowing the lavender flavour to develop in the syrup.
7. Next, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the lavender. If not using right away, store the finished syrup in a sealed container in the fridge.

Lemonade

1. Fill the bottom of a large pitcher with ice.
2. Combine and stir the lemon juice, sparkling water and lavender syrup. Taste and adjust the flavour depending on your preference. If it is too sweet or too tart consider adding more sparkling water to tone down the flavour. If it isn’t sweet enough you can simply add more lavender syrup until you achieve the desired sweetness.
   
3. Time to serve! Pour lemonade in glasses and simply garnish with a pinch of dried lavender or fresh lavender sprigs. Enjoy!