Recipe: A Riff on the Classic Bee’s Knees

Back in January, chef Bryce Gilmore shuffled his lauded six-year-old Austin, TX restaurant Barley Swine into an expanded space to make room for à la carte orders, more desserts, and a full beverage program. No longer restricted to just beer and wine, cocktail honcho Robert Stevens makes use of local and seasonal ingredients, from lemon balm to summer fruit. Below, he offers a sherry-spiked twist to the Prohibition-era libation, Bee's Knees.

O’Henry
Makes 1

1 1/2 ounce London Dry-style gin, such as Highborn Texas Dry Gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce honey syrup*
1/4 ounce manzanilla sherry

Combine gin, lemon, and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice; shake for 10 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass and float sherry on top.

*To make the honey syrup, combine 1 cup honey with 1/4 ounce boiling water in a medium bowl and stir to dissolve.