Coconut Fennel Twilight Fizz

Lightly crush the fennel-seed in a mortar and pestle until fragrant but not powdered. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm 1 cup of coconut-water with the crushed fennel-seed for 4-5 minutes until steam rises gently. Do not boil. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes.

Strain the infusion through a fine-mesh strainer into a glass measuring cup. Discard the seeds. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Wash the lemon thoroughly. Using a microplane or fine grater, zest the entire lemon into a small bowl. Cut the lemon in half and juice it, yielding approximately 2-3 tablespoons of fresh juice. Strain out any seeds.

In a large glass pitcher, combine the cooled fennel infusion with the remaining 1 cup of plain coconut-water. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and honey. Stir vigorously with a long spoon until the honey dissolves completely, about 30 seconds.

Tear the fresh mint leaves by hand and add them to the pitcher. Gently bruise the mint against the pitcher wall with a wooden spoon for 5-6 rotations to release the oils.

Add the fennel fronds and stir once more to incorporate. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional honey if desired.

Fill four tall glasses with ice cubes. Pour the coconut-fennel mixture over the ice, filling each glass three-quarters full. Top each glass with sparkling water, pouring slowly down the side of each glass to preserve the fizz. Garnish each with a small fennel frond and lemon wheel.