New spring drinks for you

Although most days it is still too cold to sit on my front porch and drink, I do it anyway, because I am so impatient to resume my summer hobby of sitting on my front porch and drinking.  And while I am bundled up from head to toe, mittens and all, I am enjoying drinks that make me think of spring, which helps me ignore the shivering.  All recipes yield one drink, but it would be nice of you to make enough to share.  And my neighbor says it looks sad when you drink martinis on the porch all by yourself.

April Rain

  

2 oz. vodka

½ oz. lime juice

½ oz. dry vermouth

lime peel for garnish

Shake vodka, lime juice, and vermouth vigorously over plenty of ice (the shaker should be almost to cold to hold!) and pour into a martini glass.  Garnish with lime peel.  

Early Spring Martini

2 oz. vodka

½ oz. dry vermouth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon frozen peas

1 small lettuce leave, ripped into pieces

Muddle peas and lettuce in a shaker.  Add remaining ingredients, shake together with plenty of ice and strain into a martini glass.  

Sparkling Cucumber Cocktail

2 oz. gin

1 teaspoon Rose’s Lime

1 teaspoon super fine or granulated white sugar

 thin slices of cucumber, plus one thicker slice for garnish

Tonic water

In a martini shaker, muddle the 4 thin cucumber slices with the sugar.  When cukes seem well-beaten and have create a good amount of juice, pour in the gin and Rose’s lime.  Add lots of ice and shake vigorously.  Strain into a martini glass, top with about 2-3 ounces of tonic water and garnish with remaining cucumber slice.