The Black-Eyed Susan Cocktail

By Molly Cuddy

For a garden media event we attended at Ladew Topiary Gardens in Harford County in early summer, we decided to make a cocktail inspired by the Maryland State Flower, the Black-Eyed Susan. We were inspired by a recipe from the Spruce Eats website, but switched up a few ingredients of the drink to make it closer to the “Official Drink of the Preakness” version (see https://www. preakness.com/).

For our recipe, you’ll need:

• Vodka

• St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

• Lime juice (fresh-squeezed, if you have it)

• Orange juice, mixed with pineapple juice

• Maraschino cherries for a garnish

You can check out our TikTok video (https://www.tiktok.com/@wdcgardener/video/6979246374554455302) to see how we make this drink. We didn’t use any exact measurements, but it still turned out wonderfully and everyone enjoyed the drink. Basically, you can do one shot or part of each ingredient.

For anyone who may not be 21, or for those who don’t/can’t drink, we also crafted a non-alcoholic version of this drink. Add the orange juice and lime juice, and top it with some club soda. And make sure to garnish it with a cherry!

In the future, we hope to have some more flower-inspired cocktail recipes to share! Until then, enjoy the Black-Eyed Susan and let us know if you try it. o

Molly Cuddy was a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and an intern with Washington Gardener in the summer of 2021. She was also a campus tour guide and will be a teaching assistant for a professional writing class next semester. She is currently a contracted documentation Assistant at Bristol Myers Squibb in Trenton, New Jersey.

“CocktailHour” is a new semi-regular column that will feature flower-based or flower-inspired drinks. Readers are encouraged to share their favorite flower drink recipes and adaptations by emailing them to editor KathyJentz@gmail.com.