Elevate Your Lemon Drop Cocktail With A Splash Of One Fruity Ingredient - Tasting Table

"Vodka, simple syrup, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice. It doesn't get much easier than a classic lemon drop cocktail - it also doesn't get much tastier, more refreshing, or better balanced. The lemon drop is a demonstration of the time-honored daisy cocktail category, which combines a spirit, a citrus element, and a sweet element with a sugar source and liqueur. Here, the bright acidity of the lemon is tempered with sweet simple syrup and citrusy-sweet orange liqueur."

"The lemon drop is perfect on its own, but there's another benefit to its simplicity: The opportunity for experimentation is practically endless. You can essentially apply any of your favorite lemon-and-other-fruit combos here. And one of the best, sure to please any imbiber for any occasion? Strawberry lemon drops. There's proof this pairing sings - just look at the popularity of strawberry lemonade."

"There are options for adding strawberry to this cocktail, too. You can use a high-quality store-bought syrup - one of the best Monin flavored syrups is a fragrant strawberry rose variety, for instance. Or, you can easily make your own flavored syrup with strawberries, which gives you control of the intensity and other flavor additions. There's also the fresh fruit approach: Simply muddle strawberries with sugar or simple syrup into your cocktail shaker."

A lemon drop combines vodka, simple syrup, triple sec, and fresh lemon juice, exemplifying the daisy cocktail family that pairs a spirit, citrus, and sweetener. Bright lemon acidity is balanced by simple syrup and citrusy orange liqueur. Strawberries complement lemon with sweetness and tartness, creating a strawberry lemon drop variation. Strawberry can be added via high-quality store-bought syrup, homemade strawberry syrup, or muddled fresh fruit with sugar or simple syrup. When using syrup, substitute ½ ounce per two ounces of vodka and one ounce of lemon juice; to retain orange flavor, combine ¼ ounce strawberry syrup with ¼ ounce orange liqueur.

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