Lemon Drops with a Vanilla Twist
My love for lemon drops began in my twenties, as a result of my strong aversion to Jägermeister and Tequila shots*. One night, while out with friends, rather than choke back the nastiness (sitting out the round of shots wasn’t one of the options), I asked the bartender to make me something more tolerable. Thus, I became the wimp who asks for a lemon drop shot when the rest of the group is ponying up with the strong stuff.
Now that my shot drinking days are over, pretty much, except on those GNOs or “book club” nights that get a little rowdy, I have transferred my love of lemon drop shots to lemon drop martinis. I have tried several variations, including a blood orange lemon drop martini that was served at my 40th birthday at Analog. But I would say that my favorite variation is one with a vanilla flavored vodka with a splash of Chambord. YUMMO!
Here’s the recipe for the best lemon drop martini ever:
Recommended for You
(Serves 1)
2 oz vanilla vodka
1 oz simple syrup (you can make your own by mixing 1 part boiling water and 2 parts sugar)
Juice from 1 fresh-squeezed lemon
1-1.5 oz lemonade
Sugared glass rim
Splash (or two) of Chambord
Add a raspberry garnish for display!
Chin chin!
* Side note: The only way I can tolerate tequila shots is if I substitute an orange wedge with cinnamon for a lime with salt. Don’t be skeptical until you try it!
