MAKES 1 or 4 COCKTAILS
Makes 4 cocktails
Even people who aren’t old movie fans know the name Ginger Rogers, and associate her with the musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age. After a sip or two of this drink, you may start singing and dancing, too. Fresh ginger juice is the secret ingredient, and gives the drink real kick.
2 quarter-sized slices fresh ginger (no need to peel)
2 ounces orange-flavored vodka
1 ounce Lemon Simple Syrup (here)
1 ounce fresh orange juice
About 1 ounce lemon-lime soda, as needed for serving
Using a garlic press, squeeze the juice from the ginger into a cocktail shaker. Add ice with the orange vodka, lemon syrup, and orange juice. Shake well and strain into an ice-filled tall glass, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Fill the glass with the lemon-lime soda and stir gently.
Party-Sized Ginger Rogers: Pulse 8 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger and 8 ounces (1 cup) orange-flavored vodka in a blender to chop the ginger. Add 4 ounces (½ cup) lemon syrup and 4 ounces (½ cup) orange juice and stir well. Strain the mixture through a wire sieve into a container, pressing hard on the solids. (The cocktail base can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 hours.) For each drink, pour about 4 ounces (½ cup) of the orange mixture over ice in a glass, leaving 1 inch of headroom. Pour about 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon-lime soda into the glass, stir gently, and serve.
MAKES 1 or 4 COCKTAILS
Makes 4 cocktails
You’ll have to pace yourself when drinking this smooth and tart martini. If you think of a martini as an evening drink, preferably sipped in black tie with a cocktail piano tinkling in the background—think again. This is a great drink for any hour, especially when the sun is shining.
1 large sprig fresh mint
¼ ounce Lemon Simple Syrup (here)
2 ounces pink grapefruit juice
1½ ounces lemon-flavored vodka
1 fresh mint leaf, for garnish
Muddle the mint sprig and lemon syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice with the grapefruit juice and lemon vodka. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Float the mint leaf on the surface of the cocktail as a garnish.
Party-Sized Pink Grapefruit–Mint Martini: Pulse 4 large sprigs mint with 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lemon syrup in a blender to chop the mint. Pour in 8 ounces (1 cup) pink grapefruit juice and 6 ounces (¾ cup) lemon-flavored vodka and pulse to combine. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small pitcher, discarding the solids. (The mixture can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) For each drink, shake about 4 ounces (½ cup) of the vodka mixture in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a mint leaf floating on the surface.