The lemon is an overachiever in the world of cocktails. It—and to a lesser extent its citrus brethren—can complement sweet, savory, or bitter in a particularly versatile way. In fact, while lemon is a key component of everything from collinses to sours to daisies to fizzes, the way lemon interacts with the other ingredients sets each drink category apart.
Take the fizz, for example. Known for restorative properties that are valuable the morning after an indulgent evening, this short drink is merely a fizzier collins without the fancy orange-and-cherry garnish. But no bartender, or drinker for that matter, would ever confuse the two, because of the way the effervescence elevates the lemon.
When the fizz first entered the bartending vernacular in the mid-19th century, sparkling water was something of a luxury, so several old recipes call for adding bicarbonate of soda as a way to develop fizz. Some sticklers for detail also prescribe that a fizz be served in a chilled glass rather than over ice, but it is unlikely that most patrons would approve of that these days. Regardless, most sources seem to agree that the fizz was meant to be downed quickly, as prescribed by the old-time mixologist Jerry Thomas.
While the only difference between the collins and the fizz is the sparkling water, current trends are swiftly swinging in favor of modernizing the fizz.
“We’ve recently seen the trend of homemade sodas and juices—making your own syrups and using a soda siphon and charging it,” Lam says.
FIZZ
By Jerry Thomas, circa 1876
2 oz. gin
11/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. gomme syrup*
Seltzer water or club soda
Shake gin, juice, and syrup with ice. Strain into a short highball glass and top off with 2 ounces of seltzer water or club soda. Garnish with lemon wheel.
*To make gomme syrup, bring 2 cups of superfine sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil. Cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight glass container.
VERRAZANO
By Allen Katz
11/2 oz. reposado tequila
1/2 oz. Agavero tequila liqueur
1/2 oz. Mathilde Framboise liqueur
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
2 oz. chilled ginger beer
Shake the first four ingredients with ice and strain into a short highball glass. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with lime zest and whole raspberries.
SOUTHERN GLORY FIZZ
By Arturo Sighinolfi
11/2 oz. bourbon or unaged corn whiskey
1/2 oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
1 oz. gomme syrup*
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. egg white (optional)
Dash of Angostura bitters
11/2 oz. sparkling apple cider
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with fresh-ground nutmeg and an apple slice.
*To make gomme syrup, bring 2 cups of superfine sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil. Cool completely and store at room temperature in an airtight glass container.
