Is a lemon drop martini actually a martini?
No. But, for those who love the idea of a martini, but need something more than a hint of lemon zest (or a spoonful of olive juice) to tame the flavors of their booze, this fresh, tangy vodka cocktail is for you.
This drink, which was first concocted at a San Francisco fern bar in the 1970s, is actually more akin to a crusta: spirit, lemon juice, sugar, bitters, and the eponymous sugar rim encrusted around the cocktail glass.
Like the martini though, the lemon drop recipe continues to evolve, and requires just a few simple ingredients and good technique to be well-balanced and delicious. If you don’t have Cointreau, use any brand of triple sec (a type of orange liqueur) to achieve similar citrusy, floral notes.
While you can use granulated sugar to make the simple syrup, know that superfine sugar will dissolve more readily with this no-heat method. And as for the booze, use the highest quality vodka you can, and avoid citron vodkas, which will mess with the fresh lemon flavor that makes this cocktail sing.
We prefer to garnish with just a strip of peel, instead of a lemon wedge, and to keep the rim of the glass free of frills.
A note about technique: Shake well, and shake hard. Why? First, cocktails that combine spirits and mixers (fresh citrus juice and simple syrup in this case) require more than a gentle stir to properly meld all the flavors. Secondly, water is actually an essential ingredient—albeit an unannounced one—in most cocktail recipes, and a firm shake encourages the ice cubes to dilute, ultimately bringing balance to the drink.
And finally, as is true of many classic cocktails, the best lemon drops are always frosty cold. A metal shaker will help get you there—and fast. (On that note: Chill your martini glass beforehand!)
INGREDIENTS
½ cup sugar
60ml. vodka
21ml. Cointreau
28ml. fresh lemon juice
Lemon twist (for serving)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small jar, cover, and shake until sugar is dissolved.
Combine 60ml. vodka, 20ml Cointreau, 28ml fresh lemon juice, and 15ml. simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds. Strain cocktail into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Do ahead: Simple syrup can be made 3 months ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipe by Rachel Gurjar
This article originally appeared on Bon Appetit US
