Monday, December 12, 2005

Perfect G & T

Gin

Whatever kind of Christmas you're planning be sure to remember that the single most important thing on that ever expanding shopping list is bottle of good gin. There is no other liquid that will get you through the minefield that is Christmas relatively unscathed. The girlfriend insists that most of Christmas day is spent in a mild gin and tonic induced haze, arguing that this limits the scope for any of the major Christmas disasters. That evil-incarnate maiden aunt getting you down? Through the gin goggles she'll transform from cantankerous old witch to jolly eccentric game old bird. However, be aware that the gin buzz is a delicate beast and can easily descend into self loathing and recriminations if not nurtured carefully, gin will make you sicker than the sickest dog in a dog hospital if you go too far.
You'll be horrified to learn that traditionally the recipe for a gin and tonic calls for a 1:1 ratio of gin to tonic. This was in the bad old days when you couldn't trust the water so now it is more usual to adopt 3 parts tonic to one or two parts gin. Now, most old school bartenders will tell you that as a spirit mixer this will need to served in a lowball, I prefer a highball filled with ice. Coat your ice cubes in the gin and then pour your tonic water and wipe the rim with a lime wedge and then throw it in. Lemon is wrong. I don't care if you like it. Wrong. One other tip, you've probably bought good gin, like Bombay/ Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray or Citadelle (yeah, I know it's French, but it's still good gin). Don't then ruin all that hard work with cheap tonic, I don't know how many times I've watched in slack jawed horror as someone pours flat shitty tonic into my drink.

7 comments:

cookiecrumb said...

I love those. But I find Sapphire too botanical in flavor. Probably just my sissy mouth.
However! I am fond of Cork Dry Gin. Tried it?
Beautiful photo... Again.

Joycelyn said...

hiya, i can't believe i never visited your blog till now...you're hysterical (i mean that as a huge compliment)! which goes to show, of course, that chubbyhubby is always right...

Monkey Gland said...

Cookie: yeah the sapphire can be like that, you might want to try the straight Bombay.

J: Thanks! Yeah, that Chubster has a fine mind and excellent taste ;-)

Anonymous said...

Plymouth Navy Strength is great for mixing 1 gin to 2 tonic.
Beware that a too low alcohol level in the gin can be disastrous to the taste of your G&T.

While Bombay is normally 47% I have seen it in a 40% version that just doesn't cut it.

And BTW don't use icecubes that dilute everything. Make tonic-cubes

Monkey Gland said...

Cheers jmd, good tip, though my ice cubes rarely have a chance to melt into the drink, it's usually gone long before then.

Anonymous said...

What type of tonic should I use?

Monkey Gland said...

Any good Indian Tonic Water should set you right. Schweppes'll do nicely.