Lychee Martini (荔枝馬丁尼)

It’s almost “back to school” time for most of us!  I can’t believe Summer slipped by in the blink of an eye.  That’s just too quick, in my opinion!  I sure will miss spending time with my Kiddos.  On the other hand, I also look forward to the “me” time when the Kids are at school.  So it’s a mixed feeling.  Since my Kids will be going to a new school this year, there are quite a few things that we need to adjust.  Adjustments such as a new school schedule, policies, and a long list of school supplies!  Yeah, I’m totally not used to that since the previous school took care of most of the supplies.  Let’s just say, I’m glad that I tackled the list quite early on and I only have a few more things to get before school starts.  Certainly, going back to school could be a stressful event, but proper planning definitely helps to ease some stress…and a cocktail in between wouldn’t hurt either.  Whether you’re in the middle of “back to school” stress, or about to celebrate having the “me” time back.  I have the perfect cocktail for you.  Ladies and gentlemen, check out this Lychee Martini (荔枝馬丁尼)!



This Lychee Martini is a sweet and fragrant cocktail that’s packed with the fresh lychee flavor.  I added a little lemon juice to balance out the sweetness and a splash of vermouth for depth and to round out the flavors.  Lychee ( 荔枝in Chinese) is a tropical fruit native to southern China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. The fresh fruit is delicate with a floral and sweet fragrant. When ripe, the skin turns brownish-red (from green), and the flesh is super juicy and sweet. Since the perfume-like fragrant is lost in the canning process, I certainly prefer fresh Lychee way better than the canned ones.




Lychee is one of my favorite fruit to enjoy in the late summer!  I always buy them fresh whenever they’re available in my local Asian markets.  And now, is the prime season!  So, if you visit your local Asian market, see if you can find these gems!  The outside of the fruit is covered by a brown-red, slightly rough textured rind that is inedible but easily removed to expose a layer of sweet, slightly translucent and white flesh.



There is a round, smooth and hard seed in the middle that’s also inedible (as shown in the picture below).




And before you head over for the recipe below, I have a tip for you today.  I guess my memory is getting worse as I aged became more matured.  So, forgetting to put the martini glasses in the freezer before I make the cocktail is not surprising to anyone, anymore.  Good news is, I have this trick for you.  Simply fill your martini glasses with crushed ice, while you prepare the cocktail, works just as fine.  So, whether you’re as forgetful as I am, or you simply couldn't find any space in the freezer to chill your glasses (unfortunately, I’m also in this category), this tip is for you! 



For those of you with kiddos, whether your own kids or grand-kids, going back to school this Fall, I wish you a wonderful school year!  I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tips.  Stay tuned for some “back to school” friendly recipes in the near future.





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.




Lychee Martini (荔枝馬丁尼): (Printable Recipe)
Serves: 2

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup lychees, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 oz vodka
A splash of vermouth


Chill your martini glasses in the freezer.  In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water until sugar dissolved. Let syrup cool completely.

In the food processor or blender, purée lychees with sugar syrup and lemon juice until smooth, force through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to release the juice, discarding the remaining flesh/solid.

Fill cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes, add lychee juice mixture, vodka, and vermouth. Shake 30 seconds and strain into chilled Martini glasses. Garnish with a lychee and enjoy.