I’ve always wrestled with a significant cocktail conundrum: the Gimlet. Confession time – I’ve never truly adored Gimlets made with fresh lime juice. There, I said it aloud. They consistently lacked that sharp, bitter, tangy punch that a Gimlet crafted with Rose’s Lime possesses. These characteristics have been etched in my mind as the benchmark for a Gimlet’s taste and sensation, and fresh lime juice and sugar just don’t quite get there for me.
Conversely, Rose’s Lime is, let’s be frank, a rather poor product. It’s devoid of natural ingredients, packed with high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, and synthetic colors. I banished Rose’s from my bars nearly two decades ago due to its inferior quality. And yet… it holds those unique qualities. Again, it imparts a Gimlet (or a Kamikaze, if that’s your inclination – and sometimes it is mine) with a bracing, bitter, and tart edge. It’s solely the flavor profile that falls short.
Naturally, being myself, I embarked on a mission to circumvent this dilemma and devise a lime cordial that captured those desirable traits of Rose’s, but utilized fresh, natural components. And trust me, I concocted around twenty less-than-stellar imitations of Rose’s before arriving at a recipe worthy of sharing.
Many bartenders lean towards the fresh-lime-juice-and-sugar method for lime cordial. While conceptually appealing, fresh lime juice and sugar simply cannot replicate the tartness and bitterness inherent in a proper lime cordial. Other recipes incorporate fresh lime zest, which is a step in the right direction, yet I still found these recipes lacking a certain something.
Lime juice alone lacks the requisite tartness to create a lime cordial that can stand toe-to-toe with Rose’s. It’s akin to my Amaretto Sour recipe from years past: regardless of the amaretto quantity, the drink never achieved sufficient potency, necessitating the addition of cask-strength bourbon. Similarly, lime cordial requires a boost from citric acid.
Citric acid is entirely natural and readily accessible. It’s a common ingredient in cooking and baking, and it’s the crucial element that elevates this lime cordial to a superior substitute for Rose’s, while retaining what Rose’s does effectively. You can typically find it in larger grocery stores, often in the canning supplies section. Homebrew shops are another good source. Alternatively, Amazon is a convenient option.
I aimed for a recipe that didn’t involve lengthy steeping times or specialized equipment like immersion circulators, Rotovaps, or any such extravagance. Crafting a syrup shouldn’t necessitate a chemistry lab. The process should resemble baking, not industrial manufacturing.
In essence, here are the objectives for our lime cordial:
- It must embody the positive attributes of Rose’s Lime: sweetness, bracing tartness, and a subtle bitterness.
- It must be crafted from fresh ingredients and taste genuinely fresh.
- It must be easy and quick to prepare. Recipes requiring weeks of Mason jar infusions are impractical. This recipe is ready in approximately five minutes.
- It absolutely must be incredibly delicious.
This recipe fulfills all the aforementioned criteria, and when compared side-by-side with Rose’s, it successfully captures the essence of Rose’s while significantly surpassing it in quality.
Step One
Accurately weigh your sugar. If a scale isn’t available, approximately 8 oz/240 ml will suffice. However, weighing is always recommended for precision.
Step Two
Grate some lime peel. The zest of one large or two small limes should be adequate. Invest in a microplane. It’s a versatile and inexpensive tool I use constantly.
Step Three
Squeeze the lime juice. Again, the juice of one large or two small limes is needed. Conveniently consistent, isn’t it?
Step Four
Measure out the citric acid. This step is self-explanatory and crucial for the signature tartness.
Step Five
Heat the water until hot. A rolling boil isn’t necessary; just ensure it’s thoroughly heated. Yes, a microwave can accomplish this in about 90 seconds. This is precisely what microwaves excel at.
Step Six
Combine all ingredients. While you could let the mixture sit for days to infuse the lime peel flavor, blending it on medium speed for approximately 30 seconds is a significantly faster and more effective method. Guess which approach I favor?
Step Seven
Strain the mixture using a fine-mesh strainer and bottle it. That concludes the process!
Now that you possess a delectable lime cordial, how about crafting a Gimlet? The recipe on the Rose’s bottle is surprisingly decent, suggesting 1½ oz/45 ml of gin to 1 oz/30 ml of lime cordial. It’s actually a quite solid Gimlet recipe and the one I employ with this homemade lime cordial, although you might prefer to increase the gin to 2 oz/60 ml for a stronger rendition. I prepared a Gimlet with one of my preferred gins, and I can honestly say I’ve never been more satisfied with a Gimlet.
For a deeper dive into the Gimlet, explore my esteemed friend Gabriel Daun’s comprehensive article here. He’s among the most knowledgeable individuals in the industry, and it’s a captivating read, even if he does (correctly) critique my Richmond Gimlet, and despite my lime cordial recipe surpassing his. 😉
Cheers, friends!
Lime Cordial Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
- 250g sugar
- 8 oz/240 ml hot water
- 1½ oz/45 ml fresh lime juice (measured by volume)
- 8 grams freshly grated lime peel (or 1½ oz/45 ml measured by volume)
- 25 grams citric acid (1 oz/30 ml measured by volume)
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
- Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.
- Strain through a fine strainer.
- Bottle and refrigerate.
Recipe courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com
