Lime Juice

Esplanda's Lime Juice is a bottled cocktail mixer, sold in the mixers aisle for drinks that call for sour citrus but not for squeezing a bag of limes. The listing doesn't state the juice's source, whether it's from concentrate, its acidity or its sweetness, so treat it like most bottled lime juice: expect a sharp, tart, slightly bitter citrus profile with less aromatic oil than a freshly cut lime. Because it is a ready-made product, its main advantage is consistency. Every pour is the same strength, which matters in drinks where the balance of sour to sweet is the whole recipe. That consistency suits the classic lime-driven cocktails best. In a daiquiri, the usual starting point is two parts white rum to one part lime juice and a little over half a part simple syrup, shaken hard with ice. The same ratio, with tequila and orange liqueur in place of the rum and syrup, makes a margarita. A gimlet is gin and lime with a touch of sweetener, a Moscow mule is vodka and lime topped with ginger beer, and a caipirinha-style drink can use the juice to supplement muddled fruit. Bottled juice also works in a Cuba libre, where a small splash brightens rum and cola. Taste the first drink before you commit to the recipe, since bottled juice varies in tartness from brand to brand. If it reads flat, adjust the sweetener by a barspoon at a time, and add a pinch of salt to the shaker to round off any harshness. Serve it cold. Keep the bottle refrigerated, and once it's opened, finish it within the window printed on the label, because citrus juice loses brightness quickly after opening. Shake the cocktail with plenty of ice for 10 to 15 seconds, then strain. Sours like the daiquiri and gimlet belong in a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass. Margaritas and mules suit a rocks glass or a copper mug over fresh ice, and a tall highball glass handles anything topped with soda or ginger beer. Outside cocktails, the juice has several kitchen uses. Try it in ceviche-style marinades, guacamole, salad dressings, or a lime-and-salt rim for glasses. It also sharpens a pitcher of limeade when you dilute it with cold water or soda and sweeten it to taste. For anything where aroma matters most, a fresh lime peel twisted over the glass will add the volatile oils a bottled juice lacks.