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How to make a frozen lemon drop, the drink of this summer

How to make a frozen lemon drop

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Frozen lemon drop.
Bar Pisellino / Bar Pisellino

When the summer heat drops, there’s nothing better than great frozen drinks. These refreshing beverages can cool you to the core and offer a friendly little buzz. The latest drop — a frozen lemon drop from a standout NYC bar — might just be the drink of summer 2024.

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Bar Pisellino is behind the stellar recipe, which mixes up lemon sorbet, Prosecco, and vodka. Served in a proper upright glass with a classic paper straw and treated to some fresh citrus rind, the Sgroppino is the drink to have and hold right now. It’s easy to see why crowds show up to this West Village establishment on sticky afternoons and evenings for this fine riff on the lemon drop.

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What’s not to like here? The lemon brightens the drink to no end, like a kiss of sunshine, while the Prosecco melds the flavors. The vodka provides the kick while the sweet and tart nature of the sorbet dances across the palate. If there was a grown-up drink equivalent of playing in front of a spraying fire hydrant in the middle of August, this might just be it.

Simply put, Italian culture knows how to beat the heat. The Mediterranean playground is behind everything from the ever-trending Spritz to flavorful sodas and Limoncello. Sure, you can just add more ice to your favorite drink, but sometimes that’s not good enough. Class it up with a drink like the Sgroppino, which not only wins in terms of complementary ingredients but fantastic texture and the ideal temperature.

If you can get out to the East Coast, by all means. The New York bar scene is very much worth exploring in depth. But if you can only sip on something reminiscent of a balmy Big Apple day, go with this drink. Making the thing easy and enjoying it goes without saying. You can hold it against your forehead in between sips on the warmest evenings or whip up a large batch for a gathering of friends.

Frozen drinks are summer drinks, and the season is here. Read on to learn how to assemble it.

Sgroppino

Bar Pisellino.
Facebook / Facebook

Start with the basic recipe, below, but feel free to play around with this tried and true template. You can try out different variations of citrus sorbet or incorporating some bittersweet Italian amari. If you’re really feeling crafty, try making your own sorbet.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 ounce vodka
  • 1-ounce prosecco
  • 3 tablespoons lemon sorbet
  • 1 lemon wedge for garnish

Method

  1. Scoop sorbet, Prosecco, and vodka into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
  2. Pour into a chilled frappe glass and garnish with lemon zest and lemon wedge.

We’ve got more where that came from. Check out our features on easy cocktail recipes as well as sparkling wine cocktails for some effervescent fun. Cheers to the solstice!

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Mark Stock
Mark Stock
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Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
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