Lychee Rose Mocktail

Before you start

A lychee martini relies on the fruit's perfumed, almost floral sweetness. Rose water is a natural partner because the two share aromatic compounds; together they taste like lychee turned up rather than like a flower shop. Canned lychees are the practical choice here. They are consistent all year, and the syrup in the can is already flavored with the fruit, so it replaces most of the sugar.

What keeps the drink from tasting like dessert is acid and texture. Fresh lime cuts the sweetness, and white grape juice brings a light, wine-like body that stands in for the missing spirit. Rose water is the risky ingredient: measure it with a dropper or a quarter-teaspoon and taste before adding more.

Ingredients

• 4 canned lychees — drained, plus 1 more for garnish
• 30 ml (1 oz) lychee syrup from the can
• 45 ml (1½ oz) white grape juice — chilled
• 15 ml (½ oz) fresh lime juice
• 3 to 4 drops (up to ¼ tsp) rose water
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 1 fresh raspberry — optional, to tuck inside the garnish lychee

Method

1. Chill the coupe in the freezer for 10 minutes or fill it with ice water.
2. Put 4 lychees in the shaker tin with the can syrup and muddle until the fruit is broken into rough pulp. You want juice released, not a puree.
3. Add the white grape juice, lime juice and 3 drops of rose water. Dip a spoon in and taste; add a fourth drop only if the rose is hard to find.
4. Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for 12 seconds to chill it and emulsify the fruit pulp into a light froth.
5. Double-strain into the empty, chilled coupe, pressing the solids in the strainer gently with a spoon.
6. Press the raspberry into the hollow of the reserved lychee, spear it on a pick and lay it across the rim.

Tips for success

• Chill the can of lychees overnight. Cold fruit and syrup mean less dilution in the shake.
• Rose water strength varies widely between brands. Mix your first drink with the smaller amount and note what works for your bottle.
• Freeze leftover lychees on a tray and use them in place of ice cubes in sparkling water.

Substitutions

Canned lychees and syrup

Fresh lychees work when in season. Peel and pit 5, muddle them, and add 15 ml simple syrup, because fresh fruit has no syrup to lean on.

White grape juice

A non-alcoholic dry vermouth or white verjus makes a drier, more grown-up drink. Add 5 ml simple syrup if using verjus.

Rose water

Two drops of orange blossom water give a different floral note, citrusy rather than rosy. Elderflower cordial (10 ml) is gentler and harder to overdo.

Variations

Lychee rose spritz

Shake as written, strain into a wine glass over ice and top with 90 ml soda water.

Lychee ginger

Muddle a thin coin of fresh ginger with the fruit and skip the rose water.

Troubleshooting

It tastes like perfume

Too much rose water. Add another 30 ml grape juice and 5 ml lime to rebalance, and use a dropper next time.

The drink is flat and sweet

There is not enough acid for your syrup. Increase the lime to 20 ml.

Bits of fruit float on top

Double-strain through a fine strainer, pressing the pulp only lightly so the fibers stay behind.

Storage

Serve right after shaking; the froth fades in a few minutes. Transfer leftover lychees and syrup from an opened can to a covered container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.