Think Lemon Drop with a hint of Roses.
I was getting ready for a girls birthday weekend at Bodega Bay. I had just raided our dental office of some magazines (I work there, so no harm!) and was flipping through Sunset Magazine when I saw an amazing recipe for a Rose Drop Martini. I just so happened to have the first roses of the season on my driveway bushes so I had to try this. It was an absolute winner, and I suggest having witnesses as you put the drink together, they will be wowed, both by the presentation and the drink.
Start with 5-8 pesticide free pink roses. Rinse and dry the separated petals, then pack into a Mason jar. Fill the jar with a good vodka, I used Hangar 1, a Bay Area local brand. Get all of the bubbles out then let it marinate for an hour, shake then let it sit for another 2 hours. Strain into another Mason jar and set aside. It will turn a yellowish color, not to worry. Keep some fresh petals to garnish the drink. (I put some in a sandwich baggy and they stayed fresh for days.)
Make a simple syrup using 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. You can either microwave and bring to a light boil on the stove. You just want to melt the sugar. Refrigerate.
In a Mason jar, add the following ingredients:
1/2 cup Rose Vodka, 2 1/2 tsp. Lime Juice and 1 1/2 Tbsp. Simple Syrup
Shake with a few ice cubes, watch it change from yellow to pink, then strain into martini glasses. Garnish with a rose petal and enjoy, hopefully with the sun setting over the beach like we did.
Tip: The Sunset recipe said it will keep for months, but the pink may fade to more of a peach color after a week or so. I tested this on my second batch and the taste was still great, but the color change didn’t happen, chemistry! We also tried this with Meyer Lemon, but you will need more juice (1 Tablespoon) to get the chemical reaction turning it pink.