The first Saturday in May each year is dedicated to National Lemonade Day, as the weather warms up and the demand for cool drinks soars. Kids are encouraged to try their hands at entrepreneurship by setting up their own lemonade stands, and everyone gets to enjoy a refreshing beverage. And as a European, even I must admit that American lemonade, with its sharp flavors from fresh lemons, is truly a cut above the soda-like beverage which we call lemonade on our side of the pond.
If you’re looking for a more adult take on a lemonade, though, then you can always try out a cocktail. While there are plenty of classic cocktails which feature lemon juice — most notably, the whole family of sours, which consist of lemon juice, a little sugar syrup, and a spirit — there are fewer which take advantage of lemonade. With its bold flavors and plentiful sweetness, lemonade can be overpowering to some ingredients, so you need to use a spirit with plenty of body and flavor such as a cognac.
Cognac brand Courvoisier suggests this simple mixture of its VSOP offering and lemonade for a drink which is sharp and refreshing, but with an adult and sophisticated edge to it. Known as the Gala, this drink is vibrant and attractive, making it the perfect adult way to raise a glass to National Lemonade Day.
The Gala
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ Part VSOP
- 4 Part Sparkling Lemonade
Method:
Build all ingredients over ice in a wine glass Stir Garnish with a lemon wheel and serve
