Lemons! God's gift to Vodka.

Lemondrop Martini has been all the rage for a couple of years. It was my first official cocktail creation and my venture into the wide-wide-world of culinary libations.
However, I wasn't tempted to make your typical Lemondrop... sugar rimmed and; toothachingly sweet.  I like my cocktails tart, tangy and lots of character.
So, my recipe is simple, elegant and smooth. So, delicious you'll come back for more and more and more and ... more.Well, you get the idea.
Please drink responsibly.
Recipe
Vodka
Meyers lemon simple syrup
Two Meyers Lemons per shaker
Water
Ice
Vodka
For fruit cocktails I perfer the taste of Ketel One or Grey Goose. When I choose a Dirty Martini, Belvedre or Level One works best. Yes, each Vodka has it's own unique flavor. Do I use flavored Vodka's? Not if I can help it.
Meyer's Lemon Simple Syrup - Easy-breezy recipe.
1 cup Baker's Sugar
1 cup of tap water or distilled
Zest of one Meyers Lemon in large strips.
In a medium saucepan bring water, sugar and lemon zest to a gentle boil until all the sugar is dissolved. Once the sugar is dissolved, set aside the syrup until cool. Yes, cooling the syrup is key. Otherwise, it will just melt the poor ice cubes. Martini taste better chilled.
Ice
Making a Martini is an art. Even the ice matters. Don't settle for skimpy pieces of ice. Choose large cubes or solid pieces. Ice will help chill the vodka in the shaker and also the bigger the ice pieces, the less melt factor. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Next... the shaker
Metal shakers seem to be everywhere and at a variety of prices. They will do just fine. But, if you are very lucky... try to find a glass shaker. Not only are they beautiful, but the chill factor is very cool.
How it's done.
Fill the martini shaker with ice 3/4 full. Next, a 1/4 cup of the simple syrup, 3/4 cup Vodka of your choice, squeeze to whole Meyers Lemons into the shaker, next a 1/4 cup of ice cold water to top off the concoction.
SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE... until the shaker is ice cold. Remove the cap and pour a little of the mixture into a teaspoon to taste. You should taste the sweet, yet tart flavor of the meyers lemons. Add simple syrup or more lemons to taste if necessary. In the end... you'll have a crisp, clean, flavorful martini that you're friends will beg for more.

Enjoy.... Remember, cooking with LOVE makes every recipe taste better.