I’m no sourpuss, but I am having a love affair with lemons. Ever since we vacationed in Sorrento, Italy I have been obsessed with lemons. I was in juicy heaven walking among the lemon groves and eating lemon zested bits of fish and homemade limoncello. I’ve been trying to recreate an amazingly simple vinaigrette we had at Alex’s restaurant in Piano di Sorrento that was drizzled over the most peppery arugula I have ever tasted. Raymond’s arugula grown on his little urban farm is the closest I’ve found to that green goodness Stateside. I wish I could have my very own grove of lemon trees, or at least one little fruit bearing tree. My kitchen is always full of lemons, and a bowl of lemons perched on my table brings me simple pleasure. Mac Daddy gave me a glittery glass lemon ornament that hangs over the kitchen sink. The soap and hand lotion in my kitchen are lemon scented (the real deal, not the phony stuff that smells like Pledge). I even have a lemon page on Pinterest called Pucker Up.
As you can imagine, this time of year when all the citrus rolls into the market makes me giddy. I have a particular fondness for Meyer Lemons. They are tart yet sweet with a certain honey quality, a culinary metaphor for a certain someone I know. Ahem.
Meyer You Lookin’ Fine
2 ounces vanilla vodka (I’m partial to Stoli Vanil.)
Juice of one meyer lemon
1/2 teaspoon of agave sweetener
2 ounces prosecco
Put some ice in a cocktail shaker. Add vanilla vodka, juice of meyer lemon, and agave sweetener. Shake it up. Pour into a martini glass. Top with prosecco. Garnish with a little wheel of fresh lemon.
When life gives you lemons, make cocktails!