Prom!

After last night's Black and White Ball (a.k.a. benefit for the museum a.k.a. Prom for Grownups), I really don't need another drink for the entire week weekend day, which isn't to say I won't have one... I like to stick with a "light vodka and soda." When I say "light," I mean it. I want a cup of club soda with a sip or two of vodka and a lime. My current lifestyle (glamorous writer and mother of three) doesn't allow for drunken sprees, but if I stick to the light vodka, I can have five or six drinks, the equivalent of one or two of anyone else's, and feel like I'm some kind of rock star. Without the hangover.

While writing my column for Free Times this week*, I was reminded of one of my favorite drinks of all time, the Vodka Gimlet. I started drinking it for it's style and kept drinking it because I rarely stop at just one. Question: How cool is it to casually say,

"I'll have a Vodka Gimlet, please."

Answer: Very cool. Almost as cool as ordering a Vodka Stinger, which is a much less versatile drink. By less versatile, I mean it's only appropriate as a nightcap, apéritif or any other time you're just having a single drink, because more than one of those just wouldn't be fun. And much cooler than ordering an Old Fashioned, a drink I flirted with in college before realizing it wasn't that stylish and it tasted nasty. And bartenders hate to make it, because it's kind of a pain.

You could make the gimlet with Rose's Lime Juice, like most bars, and it would be just fine. In fact, it goes down like Kool-Aid on a hot summer day. But if you want a much fancier and better version, try this.

Fancy Vodka Gimlet

In a bar shaker or tall glass, mix a healthy shot of vodka (an ounce and a quarter or more), an ounce of fresh-squeezed lime juice and a teaspoon of powdered sugar. Shake or stir rapidly with a sterling silver ice tea spoon that you got for your wedding and only use to stir drinks**. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a strip of lime zest if you have time. If you need to start slurping it down right away, skip the zest for your first one and add it to your second.

You should use fancy vodka, by the way, something nice and smooth. For a sweeter drink, try Stoli Ohranj or Vanil. I'll be happy to host a gimlet party if anyone wants to bring the vodka.

Namasté, y'all!


* I know you're excited, but you'll have to wait until May 28th to read it. Mwah!

** A sterling silver ice tea spoon that was given to you, in fact, by one of your awesome, fun aunts with the instructions, "You'll never use this for ice tea, but it's perfect for stirring drinks." She was right!