Strictly a cocktail rather than a martini, this is nonetheless a delicious alternative to our classic favourites, half the strength of a standard martini and a fantastic way to use up any lemons you have stripped of their zest.

You will need:

• 40ml / 1.35 oz. vodka
• 10ml / 0.3 oz orange liqueur (like Triple Sec or Cointreau)
• 30-40ml / 1-1.35 oz sweetened lemon juice

How to make a lemon drop martini

Ideally keep your vodka in the freezer for at least 6 hours before serving.

Dissolve sugar into freshly squeezed lemon juice (around 3-4 tsps sugar to each lemon juiced).

Cover and chill in the fridge or freezer for at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, take a chilled martini glass and rub a slice of lemon around the rim.

Sprinkle some sugar on a plate and use it to rim the glass.

Pour in the orange liqueur, sweetened lemon juice and chilled vodka.

Stir gently to mix and garnish with a slice of lemon or a twist of lemon peel.

Alternatively if you have sugar syrup, you could pour in the vodka and liqueur, then the juice of one lemon and a dash of the syrup (or to taste).

You can also serve it without the sugar rim for something a little more astringent.

History

Like so many cocktails, the origins are somewhat blurry, but the drink is thought to have originated in San Francisco during the 1970s when sweet and sour cocktails were making yet another comeback for an increasingly female demographic of consumers.

It has fallen in and out of fashion and purists would decry it as a cocktail impostor in the martini world. I consider it subjectively delicious but also objectively relevant in its perseverance as a martini through the decades.

It remains relatively common in North America but still sadly rare elsewhere. Imagine some of the delightful variations that could be concocted in some of the world’s citrus hotspots, such as Italy, Brazil, the wider Mediterranean and the Himalayas – where the fruit is thought to have originated. I’m sure the cocktail would also do very nicely with Japanese yuzu.

It’s a pleasant, sweet and sour drink. You can also increase the vodka to lemon juice ratio to taste if you want.

Also while the original recipe calls for vodka it is not unpleasant with gin, simply with more botanicals, so long as it’s a relatively smooth gin and not too bitter or complex, otherwise the flavours can clash with the lemon.

It’s definitely underrated, so I’m sorry not to see it more often in bars around the world, but it’s also very easy to make at home, so feel free to have a go at preserving its retro-heritage.