There are few things we love quite so much as teas and bees, but one of those things is very definitely other native pollinators and the incredible people doing the hard work to make sure our native pollinators survive and flourish!

For a few years now, we have been contemplating how to bring a Lavender Lemonade to our Tea Bar, and this year inspiration finally struck - we would create a lavender tisane using Butterfly Pea Flower! Butterfly Pea Flower is a very, very cool herb that brews a vivid blue and has many potential health benefits, including weight loss and anti-inflammatory properties. Its not-so-secret super power? Butterfly Pea Flower changes color from blue to a deep, vibrant purple with the addition of citrus!

When it came time to name this blend, we were immediately reminded of the tiny but mighty Karner Blue Butterfly, an endangered native butterfly whose habitat used to span across the northeastern US into Michigan but now is limited to a few pine barren preserves scattered in New York and other northeastern US states. Here in Saratoga we are lucky enough to be neighbors with the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, a pine barren preserve that works to conserve and protect this diminishing habitat.

In deciding to honor the Karner Blue, we are partnering with Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park to donate 10% of profits from the sales of both the Lavender Lemonade drinks and the Karner Blue Lavender herbal tisane to their conservation efforts. We are delighted to be partnering with Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park and we encourage you to visit for a hike, learn more about this amazing butterfly, and its unique habitat!

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

Ingredients:

12 ounces fresh squeezed lemon juice
50 ounces water
6 ounces raw Alfalfa honey (1/2 jar)

Directions:

Create a simple syrup with 6 ounces of raw honey and about 6 ounces of hot water (from your total water for the recipe). Stir until fully combined and the honey simple syrup is completely liquid. Add lemon juice and the remaining water, then stir to mix thoroughly. Refrigerate and enjoy!
Yields: 2qts (64oz) Lemonade

Karner Blue Lavender Iced Tea

Measure 16.5 grams of Karner Blue Lavender (approximately 9 of our perfect tea scoops) into your pitcher or other container. Fill with 22 ounces of boiling water and allow the tea to steep for 20 minutes. Add 22 ounces of tap water and steep in the refrigerator overnight or for 6-8 hours. Strain your tea and enjoy!
Yields: 44oz Iced Tea

Lavender Lemonade Recipe

Fill a glass with ice and add the lemonade of your choice until the glass is 2/3 full. Top with Karner Blue Lavender iced tea and enjoy watching this vibrantly blue tea transform into a vividly purple Lavender Lemonade! Sweeten further, as desired, or add sparkling water for a refreshing bubbly spritz!