Together with limes, lemons are probably the most commonly used ingredient for making cocktails aside from sugar syrup and ice.

Originally from Asia, lemons come in lots of different types, sizes and shapes and feature a tart flavour that can be combined with lots of different ingredients. The thickness of the skin is also one distinguishing feature to consider when picking which lemons to use.

While the juice of this citrus fruit is usually used to balance sweetness and add depth to drinks and cocktails, the skin is often used to add a zest twist to cocktails.

While its close relative, the lime; is particularly well suited to being mixed with rum, lemons are used more often in combination with whisky or brandy.

It is worth remembering that both lemon and lime juice will curdle cream or cream liqueurs.

To extend the life of a lemon, it is a good idea to store it in a refrigerator. However, to extract as much juice as possible, pick the softest fruits and let them warm up to room temperature for a while before rolling them under the palm of your hand on a hard surface.

When juicing a lemon, take care to remove the pith and if possible, use the lemon juice as quickly as possible as it tends to oxidise after 2 hours.