PARIS – Lemon is as versatile behind the bar as it is in the kitchen. From peel to juice, this sunny citrus can brighten and balance your cocktails.

“To put it as simply as possible, lemon is going to make alcohol more drinkable,” said Ms Ei Cullina, the head bartender and assistant general manager at Nobody’s Darling in Chicago. “It kind of quiets the burn.”

Start with the juice: Freshly squeezed is best, but do not stress about preparing it right before, said Ms Cullina. Lemon juice that is left to sit for a little while can “provide a slightly nicer flavour”. But for flavours that pop but are not overly bitter, aim to use it the same day it is squeezed.

Then, to mix in that juice, remember a simple refrain: often shaken, rarely stirred.

Citrus and alcohol have different densities, and a good shake helps them mix. Ice incorporates air, transforming the individual ingredients into a frothy, light and refreshing cocktail.

Lemon juice is a powerful ingredient, but the fruit’s yellow outer peel can be just as valuable, its fragrant oils adding their own flavour.

To properly extract those oils, make sure to use clean citrus and really twist the peel before swiping it along the inside of the glass, Ms Cullina said. Doing so means the oils will be released more slowly as you drink.

You can also always deploy a lemon-based spirit, such as limoncello (which you can buy or make at home). Ms Cullina often adds a bit to the sugar-rimmed lemon drop cocktail to pump up the drink’s flavour.

Or try lemon sorbet, as in the Italian Sgroppino, a slushy, crowd-pleasing cocktail, where its acidity and sweetness offset vodka’s bite. A final hit of zest on top lends an immediate lemon aroma.

For a refreshing drink that is reminiscent of, yet far removed from, the spiked six packs of yore, try your hand at homemade hard lemonade by combining lemon juice and simple syrup with vodka (or limoncello) and top with sparkling water.

Other lemon-forward drinks that Ms Cullina frequently reaches for are the Bee’s Knees, a simple sour made with gin, lemon juice and honey, or the sugar-rimmed sidecar, made with cognac, lemon juice and orange liqueur.

If you run out of lemons, use lime, then correct the balance of your drink. Limes have a sharper, denser texture and a little more acidity, so you will need to increase the sweetness. You can also use half lemon and half lime juice.

Deploy the whole fruit to add tart complexity – from acidity and astringency to sourness and floral notes – to your next drink.

“Lemon is truly just a non-negotiable ingredient behind the bar,” Ms Cullina said.

Recipe: Hard Lemonade

By Rebekah Peppler

The cocktail’s hard lemon base is a combination of fresh lemon juice, vodka or limoncello, simple syrup and a pinch of flaky sea salt. The salt serves to enhance, balance and brighten, while a final topping of bubbly soda water lengthens and elevates.

When choosing between vodka and limoncello, follow your palate. Vodka offers a more straightforward flavour. The limoncello variation is sweeter – though nothing approaching cloying – and a bit more complex.

Yield: 1 drink

Total time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

30ml fresh lemon juice

30ml vodka or limoncello

15ml simple syrup

Pinch flaky salt

Ice

90 to 120ml soda water, chilled

Lemon wedge or wheel, for serving

Preparation:

In a shaker, combine the lemon juice, vodka or limoncello, simple syrup and salt. Add ice and shake until well chilled. Fill a rocks glass with ice. Strain the cocktail into the glass and top with soda water. Garnish with the lemon wedge or wheel.

Recipe: Sgroppino

By Rebekah Peppler

Traditionally, a Sgroppino is an Italian palate cleanser, though it is equally suitable served as a cocktail or dessert. The slushy, lightly fizzy texture comes from a combination of sorbet, vodka and prosecco – but, if you have another dry, light sparkling wine, that works well, too.

Yield: 1 drink

Total time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized scoops good-quality lemon sorbet (a scant ½ cup)

15ml vodka

15ml limoncello

60ml prosecco or sparkling wine

Finely grated lemon zest, to finish

Preparation:

In a small, chilled bowl, add the sorbet, vodka, limoncello and 30ml prosecco. Whisk gently just until smooth. Pour into a rocks or Nick and Nora glass (or any kind, really), preferably chilled, and top with remaining 30ml prosecco. Garnish with freshly grated lemon zest and serve immediately. NYTIMES