Hot days, cool drinks. When the temperature hits 90 degrees the mind and body craves a refreshing thirst-quencher.
For me water is the healthy go-to drink. But I’m not necessarily talking about healthy. I’m talking about cocktail hour. A cold glass of white wine usually works nicely, and more often than not, my first choice. But there is nothing as refreshing as a gin and tonic.
Gin is a complex libation. The flavoring consisting mainly of juniper berries. But the “holy trinity” of gin flavorings also includes coriander and angelica.
Many gins have other botanicals like lemon or orange peel, cinnamon, cardomon and licorice. The list of flavorings goes on and on. Just depends on the gin maker’s whim I guess.
I haven’t tried that many different gins, I usually go with Tanqueray. But there are about one million gins out there each with a different taste.
The key to a good G&T is fresh fizzy tonic. Not the cheap stuff. I find most tonic water too sweet so I cut it with some seltzer. Lots of ice. I like the flavor of gin so I don’t put too much tonic and seltzer in it. Then, of course, a nice wedge of lime. My little secret is to float a few drops of gin on top to get the aromatic deliciousness of the gin.
I don’t know why, but I am feeling very thirsty right now.
— LUCY
Can’t beat a gin and tonic.
Here’s how I have been making them lately:
New Amsterdam 485 gin. Perfect for mixed drinks. I also have the blue stuff on hand, Bombay Sapphire.
Fever Tree Elder Flower tonic water.
St. Elder elder flower liquor. Half as costly as St. Germain and I can’t tell the difference.
The technique is to add just a few drops of the elder flower liquor right before you stir everything together.
Heavenly.
— LOU