For Better Cocktails, Grill Your Lemons

Even aside from wonderfully warming cocktails like hot toddies, Irish coffees, mulled wine, and spiked cider, plenty of traditionally icier drinks actually use fire as an ingredient. While the brazenly flaming cocktails that have populated pop culture and bars all over the United States are better left in the don't-try-this-at-home category, there are some ways to harness heat when crafting cocktails in your own kitchen with a little less risk.

Grilled lemons, for example, are a great way to shift the citrus used in so many mixed drinks for a more dynamic flavor profile. (Think of it as an entry-level alternative to smoking cocktails to get a deeper flavor.) A sliced, grilled lemon is a caramelized lemon, with the reduced sourness and added sweetness you might expect. The process isn't going to transform the fruit into candy, but the subtle changes will make a notable difference in your drinks. Consider something as basic as a vodka soda — one of the most neutral combinations possible. A spritz of fresh lemon adds a perky brightness. Grill that same lemon, and the same volume of its juice gives the drink a gentle richness instead.

If you have a grill outside, regardless of the type, that's great. However, you can approximate the same effect on the stovetop or with a chef's torch like Jo Chef's refillable kitchen torch. The same principles apply regardless of your heat source: In any case, you'll want to fire the fruit until you get that nice bit of browning, whether it's via grill lines, the sear of the pan, or even fiery passes with your handheld device. Size is the bigger variable here.

If you're looking primarily for a grilled lemon garnish, slice the lemon into wheels to grill. This will, or course, act more like an aromatic, perfuming each sip of, say, your lemon drop cocktail. If you want to grill the lemon and then use its juice as an ingredient in something like a sidecar or a whiskey sour, cut it into thirds to caramelize more surface area. And, if you wish to split the difference for something like a Tom Collins, slice the lemon into wedges. Skewer the pieces to keep them together if preparing on the grill, like you would for fruit kabobs. Otherwise, keep them separate and turn them a few times in the skillet or torch them on a baking sheet. Cool the grilled lemons before garnishing or squeezing them into the mixed drink of your desire.