Often, for me, the enjoyment of cooking meals and creating drinks comes in the process rather than the final product. (Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy more than my fair share of the final product.) But there’s something really soothing to me about spending a afternoon puttering around my kitchen. I like to do it with music playing and the back door open, with dogs wandering in and out.

And I especially like creating food that smells good. I know this is weird, but I don’t enjoy things like roasting cauliflower or searing fish as much because even if they taste amazing, the smell doesn’t fit with my pleasant cooking experience. (By the way, totally know that I’m crazy.)

So, it should come as no surprise, that I’ve become obsessed with making lavender simple syrup for cocktails. The fragrance of the boiling lavender makes my entire home smell like a field in Provence. Then, the final product gives cocktails a fresh and floral flavor that’s perfect for cool summer drinks. Want to try it for yourself? Here’s how:

Boil one cup of water, half a cup of sugar, and two tablespoons of dried lavender buds for a few minutes. Then, let it steep for about half an hour. Finally, drain the lavender from the water. I pour it through a paper towel. You lose some that way, but it’s the only sure way I’ve found not to have any lavender particles in the syrup.

Next (and most important) step: Cocktail. My favorite is an easy mix of 2/3s lemonade, 1/3 vodka (Tito’s), and a splash of the lavender simple syrup. Chill and serve in martini glass—garnishing it with a lemon or a sprig of lavender. (This mix works well pre-mixed in a pitcher for groups.)