In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup water. Add 1 tsp dried culinary lavender and 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Infuse

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Once it simmers, reduce heat to low and let it steep very gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure honey dissolves fully.

Strain and finish

Remove from heat and let sit off the heat for 3–5 minutes to deepen infusion. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container to remove lavender and pepper solids. Stir in 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice if using to brighten flavor. Allow syrup to cool slightly; syrup can be used warm or room temperature. Reserve about 1 tsp for garnish and the rest for the drink.

Espresso & Milk

Pull espresso

Pull two shots (about 2 oz) of fresh espresso directly into a pre-warmed 12 oz cup if possible. If you don't have espresso, brew 2 oz strong concentrated coffee.

Sweeten espresso with syrup

Add 1 to 1.5 tablespoons (15–22 ml) of the warm lavender hot honey syrup to the espresso. Stir well to dissolve and integrate flavors. Adjust to taste — start with 1 Tbsp for balanced sweetness, 1.5 Tbsp for sweeter drink.

Steam milk

Steam 8 oz whole milk to 140–150°F (60–65°C) creating silky microfoam. If using a home frother, heat milk to warm (not boiling) and froth until silky with a small amount of foam. Pour milk immediately after steaming/frothing.

Assemble macchiato

Pour steamed milk into the espresso+syrup mixture, holding back foam with a spoon. Spoon approximately 1 oz of milk foam on top to create the macchiato 'mark' (about 1 oz foam).

Garnish

Finish

Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of reserved hot honey syrup over the foam. Lightly sprinkle 1/4 tsp dried lavender buds on top for aroma and presentation. Serve immediately.