Helpful tips

• When I make martinis for other people, I put the glassware in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting the recipe.
• Since lemon is a sour fruit, some people prefer an equal amount of simple syrup to lemon juice. I prefer a ratio that is slightly more sour than sweet - so a .75 to 1 ratio of sweet to sour. Try these proportions first and taste the result before you add more simple syrup if you ultimately want a sweeter taste.
• The way to pick a great lemon at the market is to first heft it in your hand. The heavier lemons have more juice than the lighter ones.
• When picking a lemon, smell it too. The more lemon fragrance, the fresher the lemon.
• Try to gauge the thickness of the rind. The thinner the rind, the more juice it will yield.
• Before juicing the lemon, roll it between your palm and a hard surface like a counter. Doing this will help release the juice.
• I like having lemon wheels as garnish, but you can use a lemon twist, add some lemon zest or lemon wedges instead.
• Some people like to rim the glasses with granulated sugar. I find that too sweet but try it both ways to see what you prefer.