Remember that lemon candy you had as a kid?
No, not Lemonheads (though they were good).
The big, sour, sugar-sprinkled lemon drop candies that you'd have once in awhile?
Yeah, those.
I used to like those things and a few years ago I found the cocktail equivalent in the lemon drop.
If you've spent any time around young people at bars, you've probably had a lemon drop shot. (Chances are good it was badly made, too). While the lemon drop recipe can easily be converted into a shooter size, it's much easier to drink a chilled shot of Citron, and suck on a lemon wedge that has been sprinkled with sugar.
The lemon drop cocktail is a bit more involved. Like the candy, a little is a lot. You wouldn't want to drink a bunch of these in an evening. Once in a while, though, it can be a tasty and refreshing trip down memory lane.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz. vodka (Absolut Citron works nicely)
2 oz. sweet & sour mix
Splash of triple sec
The juice of one lemon
A packet of sugar
Instructions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and add ingredients. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with sugar around its rim. Serve with a lemon garnish and enjoy.
The same recipe works for shots, but can be modified. Drink the shot and the suck on the lemon slice sprinkled with sugar.
If you're lazy, just buy a bottle of Dr. McGillicuddy Lemon Drop and put in the freezer for a few hours before serving.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
