The first day of summer is approaching, and with it comes rumors about what the official drink of the season will be. But if you’ve been browsing TikTok lately and stumbled upon an ombre cherry red drink that looks eerily similar to Shirley Temple but contains vodka, then you, my friend, have actually come across On to this summer’s drink: Dirty Shirley.
Not surprisingly, the #DirtyShirley hashtag has been viewed more than 10.7 million times on TikTok, with one user even calling it the "new espresso martini," a popular bar drink last summer. As of May 5, a New York Times article transfers the royal honors to the syrupy, vodka-spiked Shirley Temple, also known as "Dirty Shirley" "(Dirty Shirley). in other words? Nostalgia in a highball glass.
Take a stroll down memory lane and learn some background on the world-famous Shirley Temple (and probably still is) the drink of choice for kids who want to feel like adults. The iconic drink, consisting of lemon-lime soda and cherry juice, became popular in the 1930s when it was named after the famous child star whose curly hair was her signature look. Now, the 21-and-older crowd is taking the drink to the next level and embracing this adult form of carbonated beverages. Just as they should.
What is Dirty Shirley?
The ingredients for a Dirty Sherry are (thankfully) simple, as you only need a quick trip to the bodega and four ingredients to whip up this cocktail. In a nod to the classic, the drink is just a Shirley Temple (lemon-lime soda and cherry juice with juicy maraschino cherries) spiked with vodka. You heard it here—a splash of wine is the only complement to traditional shihir.
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How to Make Dirty Sherry
After an extensive search for the various variations of Dirty Sherry, it seems that most people are opting for the easy one when mixing their drinks this summer. This particular recipe comes from Spritz Season CEO @join_jules on TikTok and is easy to follow. This is what you need:
raw material
Ice (of course)
2 oz. Vodka of choice
1 oz. Pomegranate cocktail syrup or cherry juice
Choose lemon-lime soda
black cherries, for garnish
process
Choose your favorite summer glass and pour grenadine.
Fill the rest of the glass with ice.
Pour in vodka.
Fill the rest of the glass with lemon soda and stir until you have a cherry to pink ombre cocktail.
Garnish with a cherry and enjoy your "grown-up" Shirley Temple.
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Wishing everyone a happy girls summer, from me to you.
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