Those who’ve known me for more than a minute know that I’m no fan of vodka cocktails. I’ll drink vodka straight or with soda, but not in a cocktail. Cocktails are about flavor, color, and texture, and vodka brings none of this to the party. It only brings heat – so you end up with a strong, but not very interesting, cocktail when vodka is the base.
As always, there are exceptions to the rule. Here’s one: the Lemon Drop. Using the classic sour formula – 2 parts base, 1 part sweet, 1 part sour – the Lemon Drop packs a sweet/sour punch backed by the heat of the vodka that will cool you off on a hot day – and knock your socks right off if you guzzle (which you may be tempted to do) instead of sip.
But, as always, there’s an exception to the exception. Any time I see a vodka recipe that looks interesting, I always try it with gin. And – surprise! – a gin Lemon Drop is just as good, maybe even better, than the vodka version. The sharp edge of the gin adds structure to the drink that will really cut through the hot afternoon crud and make it all better.
So, sip it either way with my blessing. They are both deluxe and great for hot weather. And since happy hour is about being happy, the version that makes you happy makes me happy.
Lemon Drop
2 oz vodka or gin
1 oz lemon juice
.5 oz triple sec (here I’m using Cointreau)
.5 oz simple syrup
Shake it all up with ice and serve it straight up. That said, served outdoors in a tall glass full of ice wouldn’t be entirely out of order.
