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Olde Thyme Lemonade Cooler
My wife was having eight lady friends over for dinner and wine.
"What do you think, should I have a welcome drink for when the girls arrive?" she asks, at the last minute. "Maybe something lemon-y and herbal-y and light," she says.
"Can you make something with limoncello? But not so strong?"
"Well, I don't have much of my homemade limoncello left," I answered,
not really looking forward to using the last of my precious limoncello in a mixed drink.
"How about something with lemon, and thyme? Thyme would complement the Mediterranean menu."
So I get going with another of my 1:00 AM last-minute experimental concoctions...
Filled one 16-oz glass canning jar with...
a very large sprig of fresh thyme
the peel of 2 lemons
2 oz. 160 proof vodka
muddled the heck out of it.
added...
8 oz. citron vodka
4 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. Lillet Blanc
1 oz. St Germain
8 dashes orange bitters
filled the last 1/2 inch of the bottle with more 160 proof vodka, and sealed it up.
The next morning...
Left instructions to pour 1 oz over crushed ice and top with 3 oz of sparkling water or lemon soda.
The verdict?
While everyone was polite, this drink was not a big crowd-pleaser that left the ladies begging for more.
Comments like:
"I thought it was pretty good."
and "It could have been more lemon-y"
told me this probably needs to be re-worked.