History of the Lemon Drop Beverage - Trattoria il Panino (2024)

Did you know there’s a history behind everything you eat and drink? When you think about inventions, your mind probably goes to electricity or cars, but even the simplest of inventions deserves recognition. Lemon drop beverages were invented long ago, and are still enjoyed by people all around the globe today. Any invention that sticks around for that long must be pretty great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the history of this delicious drink!

How it’s Made

A lemon drop is a vodka-based co*cktail that contains triple sec, simple syrup, and lemon juice. The combination of flavors creates a sweet and sour flavor that packs a lemony punch. The drink is traditionally chilled with ice, strained, and served straight-up in a martini glass.

Where it Began

The lemon drop beverage was created by a man named Norman Jay Hobday at his bar, Henry Africa’s, sometime during the 1970’s. Norman originally served the drink in a co*cktail glass. The drink got its name from lemon drop candies that have a similar sweet and sour flavor. The recipe quickly became popular in San Francisco and spread across the nation after that. Overtime, it became the norm to serve the drink in a martini glass with a sugared rim to balance out the sour lemon flavor.

Finding a Great Lemon Drop in 2021

Finding a great lemon drop in 2021 is not as easy as you’d think. Despite how common the beverage is, it’s sometimes made incorrectly or with a different variation that includes other fruits. A true lemon drop beverage shouldn’t have anything that wasn’t included in the original recipe and should be served chilled and strained, never on the rocks.

Trattoria Il Panino is a notable trattoria in Boston’s historic North End that’s known for having some of the best drinks around. Among those great drinks is, of course, the lemon drop beverage! At Trattoria Il Panino, we stick to the history and make this beverage exactly as it was intended. Our staff are highly trained to not only provide the best customer experience possible, but to serve high-quality drinks and food to each and every customer too. We pride ourselves on using only the freshest most high-quality ingredients in all of our meals and drinks, and you’ll be able to tell after the first taste!

Contact Trattoria Il Panino today to make a reservation or stop in to try a lemon drop beverage for yourself. Even if you’d had a lemon drop before, chances are it wasn’t this good! Browse our food and drink menu to try other co*cktails during your visit. Since you learned the history of the beverage first, it counts as a history lesson too, right?

History of the Lemon Drop Beverage - Trattoria il Panino (2024)

FAQs

History of the Lemon Drop Beverage - Trattoria il Panino? ›

The lemon drop

lemon drop
A lemon drop is a sugar coated, lemon-flavored candy that is typically colored yellow and often shaped like a lemon. They can be sweet or have a more sour flavor. Lemon drops are made by boiling sugar, water and cream of tartar until it reaches the hard crack stage. As the mixture cools, lemon flavor is added.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Lemon_drop_(candy)
beverage was created by a man named Norman Jay Hobday at his bar, Henry Africa's, sometime during the 1970's. Norman originally served the drink in a co*cktail glass. The drink got its name from lemon drop candies that have a similar sweet and sour flavor.

What is the history of lemon drop candy? ›

A forerunner of the lemon drop is the Salem Gibraltar, and created in 1806. Modern lemon drops, like most hard candies we know today, descend from ancient medicinal lozenges. 18th century advances in sugar technology made hard sugar concoctions possible.

What is the lemon drop drug? ›

For our purposes, when you hear people talking about a drug called lemons or lemon drops — they mean a mix of DXM and (usually) lemonade flavoring. There are some reports of other solutions being mixed with DXM, like lighter fluid or paint thinner, which raises the danger even more.

What is a lemon drop slang? ›

Lemon drop is a psychedelic drug that produces strong hallucinations. For some users, this experience can cause anxiety or panic that can last for hours. Lighter fluid and paint solvent are toxic substances not fit for human consumption, and DXM, even though it is sold over-the-counter, is extremely dangerous.

What is in a lemon drop co*cktail? ›

ingredients
  1. 1 12 ounces vodka.
  2. 12 ounce triple sec.
  3. 1 teaspoon superfine sugar.
  4. 34 ounce fresh lemon juice.
  5. 4 -5 ice cubes.
  6. superfine sugar, for the martini glass rim.
  7. lemon twist.

Where did the lemon drop originate? ›

The lemon drop was invented sometime in the 1970s by Norman Jay Hobday, the founder and proprietor of Henry Africa's, a fern bar in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco, California that opened in 1969. It was originally served in a co*cktail glass. The Lemon Drop was most likely named after lemon drop candy.

What candy was invented in 1929? ›

TWIZZLERS Twists were first produced in 1929 by Young and Smylie in Lancaster Pennsylvania. The company changed its name in 1968 to Y&S Candies before being acquired by The Hershey Company in 1977.

What does 🍋 mean in slang? ›

@ministryofsound. TUNE #keepitlemon🍋 #lemonarmy🍋 @Jay Jay. ♬ original sound - jayjaybrooke1. Keep It Lemon is a British, slang catchphrase that means to “keep it cool” or “keep it fresh”. The origin of the phrase also has links to the album cover for the Stone Roses album, The Stone Roses.

Is a lemon drop a girly drink? ›

Although the history is murky (as with many co*cktails) and it's been pooh-poohed by pop culture as a 'girly drink,' the lemon drop candy in boozy form has stood the test of time and remains one of the world's most beloved vodka co*cktails.

What does it mean to call a girl a lemon? ›

If you think that someone looks foolish because they are shy or slow to take action, you can say that they are like a lemon. [British, informal, disapproval]

What is a martini without alcohol called? ›

A Virgin Martini is a version of a classic Martini co*cktail that is prepared without the use of alcohol. The story goes that the first time the term 'virgin' was used to refer to a non-alcoholic co*cktail was when a Virgin Mary (the more virtuous counterpart of the Bloody Mary) was shaken up.

How much is a lemon drop at a bar? ›

Lemon drop – $4.57. Long island ice tea – $5.22. Grey Goose martini – $4.15. Cosmopolitan – $6.42.

What is smoking a lemon drop? ›

Lemon Drop is a mellow, fluffy bud that provides a pleasant, giggly sensation. This strain tends to provide a more euphoric, focused experience, though some phenotypes produce a stronger body feeling that is relaxing yet not overpowering.

Why were Lemonheads invented? ›

Ferrara joined the family business, where he developed Lemonheads in 1962. He joked he came up with the idea because his son was born with a head shaped like a lemon. The company grew to employ an estimated 800 people. It produces about 1 million pounds of candy a year at several plants in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

What candy was invented during the Great Depression? ›

Snickers Candy Bar. Introduced in exactly 1930, the Snickers Candy Bar is an old-fashioned candy bar that has been feeding our chocolate cravings for generations! The Snickers Candy Bar consists of chewy nougat that is filled with crunchy peanuts and creamy caramel, that is then entirely enrobed in milk chocolate.

What is lemon drop candy good for? ›

In addition to benefiting these symptoms, lemon drops also have been known to help people with morning sickness and HIV patients who are prescribed with antiretroviral medications. With all of the benefits of these tasty sour and sweet treats, why not stock up on some and buy lemon drops online today!

When did Lemonheads start? ›

Invented by Ferrara, the candy is made using a cold panned process where sugar and flavors are added layer after layer until the candy is the perfect size. The yellow favorite was first picked off the candy tree in 1962 and has been satisfying both sweet and sour lovers ever since.

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