Lemon Drop Martini Recipe

Before you start

The lemon drop is a sweet-tart vodka sour, served up with a sugar rim, named for the candy it resembles. Done well, it tastes like fresh lemon with a clean, bright finish, not lemonade with alcohol. The sugar rim adds a crunch of sweetness to each sip, so the drink itself can stay fairly tart.

Balance comes from measuring. Lemon juice is sharper than lime and needs a little more sugar to balance it. This recipe uses vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and a small amount of orange liqueur for depth. Use superfine sugar on the rim so it sticks evenly and does not fall into the drink in clumps.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 oz) vodka — plain or citrus
• 15 ml (½ oz) orange liqueur — such as Cointreau or triple sec
• 22 ml (¾ oz) fresh lemon juice
• 15 ml (½ oz) simple syrup (1:1)
• 1 tbsp superfine sugar — for the rim
• 1 lemon wedge — for the rim
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 1 strip lemon peel — garnish

Method

1. Put the sugar on a small plate. Run the lemon wedge around the outer rim of the glass and roll it in the sugar to coat the outside edge. Put the glass in the freezer to set the rim.
2. Add the vodka, orange liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup to the shaker.
3. Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, until the tin is very cold.
4. Double-strain into the sugared glass, pouring into the center so you do not wash off the rim.
5. Express the lemon peel over the drink and rest it on the rim or drop it in.

Tips for success

• Superfine (caster) sugar sticks better than granulated. You can make it by pulsing granulated sugar in a blender for a few seconds.
• Add finely grated lemon zest to the rim sugar for extra aroma.
• Taste and adjust. Lemons vary; add 5 ml more syrup if your drink tastes too sharp.

Substitutions

Vodka

Citrus vodka intensifies the lemon flavor. Gin gives a more herbal drink.

Simple syrup

Use 10 ml rich 2:1 syrup for the same sweetness with a silkier texture. Honey syrup adds a floral note.

Orange liqueur

Leave it out and increase the simple syrup to 22 ml for a purer lemon flavor.

Variations

Raspberry lemon drop

Muddle 5 raspberries in the shaker before adding the other ingredients. Double-strain to remove seeds.

Limoncello drop

Replace the orange liqueur and syrup with 30 ml limoncello for a sweeter, more intense lemon flavor.

Troubleshooting

The sugar rim slides off

Wet only the outer edge lightly, use superfine sugar, and chill the glass to set it before pouring.

It tastes like lemonade

Too much syrup. Cut it to 10 ml and rely on the rim for sweetness.

It is very sour

Add 5 ml more syrup, or switch to a sweeter triple sec.

Storage

Serve immediately. Squeeze lemons on the day you mix; store leftover juice covered in the fridge and use it within the day.

Safety notes

Contains 60 ml of vodka and 15 ml of orange liqueur, about 1.7 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). For adults of legal drinking age only; never drink and drive.