Lemon Drop Martinis, the squirrely kind

I’m posting this very late  – better late than never, right?

When I was packing for the 2011 NAMM show, I’m was thinking of my best friend Kat, excited that I would see her soon!  I met Kat at the Rainbow 20 years ago.  I was hanging out with a friend and Kat overheard our conversation about boobs – um, yes boobs, and she “busted” right into our conversation.  It was love at first sight.  I’d never met a cooler chick in my life (still haven’t and she’s got a lot of competition these days).  We were so head over heals for each other that when Kat mentioned that she wanted to transfer to Los Angeles, (she was a flight attendant living in Chicago) I said she could move right in with me… without bothering to check with my boyfriend.  So she showed up one day, and well, I don’t see him anymore… but that’s how it goes.

Kat ended up marrying her rockstar, moving to Scottsdale and is raising 4 amazing kids.  Despite her moving away – we remain very close, talk daily and visit each other regularly (but not nearly enough).  Kat didn’t introduce me to Lemon Drops – but she did teach me how to make them.  They’ve become my favorite drink of decadence.   Making them is always fun and every girl  needs to know how to make her own!

You will need:

• Cocktail Shaker
• Martini Glasses
• Shot Glass
• Ice Cubes
• Vodka (citrus flavored is not necessary)
• Lemons
• Triple Sec or better yet Grand Marnier
• Sugar

Fill your martini glass with ice cubes to properly chill the glasses.  Pour it out right before serving.

Fill your cocktail shaker with ice cubes

Measure the following into your cocktail shaker:

• 1 1/2 shots of your favorite and chilled vodka
• 1/2 shot of Triple Sec (or Grand Marnier)
• 3/4 shot of fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp of sugar.

Shake then pour into your chilled martini glasses.

You can coat the edges of your martini glass in sugar by dipping the edge of the glass first in water, then into a plate of sugar.  I opt to skip this part as I really don’t like my drink too sweet and the sugar always sticks to my lipstick.  This of course, it’s Kat’s favorite part – she likes to lick the sugar off the rim.

These are quick and easy to make – master these and you’ll be invited back to the next party….  CLINKIES!

A funny thing happened that last time I went to make a lemon drop.  The famous Wilma Fingerdoo stopped by for a cocktail and I had all the ingredients set out to make us a quick cocktail.  But Thing 1 had left us with no ice cubes.

Faced with an ice cube shortage, Wilma and I headed out to scout out the neighbors to see if we could borrow a cup ‘o cubes.  Sure enough, my neighbor Tom was heading out and how could he turn down two damsels in distress.  As we followed him to his apartment, a cute little baby squirrel came running out of the bushes and tried to crawl up Tom’s pants.  To Tom’s credit, he didn’t scream but the squirrel, despite his tiny size was relentless!  It charged again and again, undaunted by Tom’s foot gently trying to block him.  The situation when from cute to crazy and Tom finally escaped to a stairway while Wilma and I were practically rolling on the ground, hysterical with laughter.  We finally all escaped the squirrels advances and made it safely into his apartment for the ice cubes.  When we left, the squirrel made a half hearted attempt to follow us but clearly it was waiting for Tom and quickly gave up.