From The Food Lover's Companion:
Gin [JIHN] An unaged liquor made by distilling grains such as barley, corn or rye with juniper berries. London dry gin is any colorless gin, the majority of which is made in England and America. Hollands gin, also known as genever or jenever gin , is a Dutch product that tastes very different from other gins because it's made with a large proportion of barley malt. The first Dutch gin was used as medicine.
In addition to the dominate flavor of juniper, gin is flavored with different blends of other botanical flavors including lemon or bitter orange peel, anise, angelica and orris root, almonds, liquorice, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia. There are a few different styles. No matter how different they taste, nearly all the common gins are slight variations on London dry style. Dutch gin is the original gin. It has a rounder, sweeter taste, thus the designation of "dry" in London dry gin. Old Tom gin is all that remains of lightly sweetened style that was wildly popular in the 18th century; the use of Old Tom gave the Tom Collins cocktail it's name. Finally, Plymouth gin, a favorite of mine, also used to be a style and is now just a brand. Plymouth originated in, hold on to your glasses, the port city of Plymouth, England. It is very smooth and very fragrant. Lots of excellent information at Tastings and Wikipedia
Some of my favorite gins:
Bombay Sapphire-- My preferred everyday gin. A lovely scent and super smooth. It's tasty in mixed drinks and martinis, although I like a Sapphire martini a little wetter than with some higher end gins.
Tanquerary and regular Bombay are other nice, versatile gins that aren't so expensive you have to drink gin to forget how much you paid.
I am also greatly devoted to some of the higher end, boutique gins.
Hendrick's-- Beautifully perfumed with rose, coriander, and cucumber; I could splash it on after a bath. Marvelous in a g&t, marvelous in a quite dry martini, generally just marvelous.
Junipero-- This stuff is strong in every way. Made by the same people who brew Anchor Steam beer, it's bracingly junipery and rather high in alcohol, yet it retains balance. I like it in a wetter martini.
Magellan-- It's infused with a lovely blue color from irises. And it tastes good too. It's much too pretty for anything other than a martini.
And finally, a few of my favorite recipes using this fine elixir:
My Martini
Start with 3oz of your gin of choice. You must add vermouth. Call me a traditionalist, but without vermouth it isn't a cocktail, just gin in a glass. Depending on the gin, I like anywhere from a teaspoon to an ounce. My general rule is that the smoother and more perfumed a gin is, the less vermouth it needs. Thus, Hendrick's gets a teaspoon, Sapphire gets a tablespoon, Junipero and Tanquery get about 3/4oz.
Now, add ice and stir for all your worth with a long bar spoon, or even the handle of a wooden spoon, just something to keep your fingers out. Stir quickly to aerate the gin a little and get it as cold as possible with a minimum of ice melting. When the shaker feels cold, you're done. Traditionally, you stir drinks made of all alcohol and shake those with mixers like juice. I think this is a good rule. I don't exactly understand how it is possible to "bruise" gin, but I do think stirring prevents ice crystals clouding the drink and interfering with the texture, and it waters down the gin less.
Strain into a chilled martini glass. If you've got enormous, modern martini glasses, you may find it doesn't fill the glass up very far. Don't be tempted to add more. You can't make it through eight full ounces of gin before it gets warm anyway. Now, take a long lemon twist, or even a wide swath of peel removed with a vegetable peeler (this isn't as pretty but is easier to get oil from). Crush it over the glass until you see the oils spritz out and float on top of the drink. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass and drop it in.
Stephen's gin and tonic
1 1/2 oz of gin plus 4 1/2 oz tonic (basically, a 1:3 ratio) over plenty of ice. Squeeze in a sizeable wedge of lime.
Pink Spank (My favorite variation on a g&t.)
1 1/2 oz gin plus 1oz campari over ice. Squeeze in a lime and orange wedge; fill with tonic.
The Jasmine (Where I first discovered how good gin and campari are together. I understand that it was invented in Oakland.)
Shake vigorously over ice: 1/4 ounce of Cointreau, the juice of half a lemon, 1 1/2 ounces of gin, a dash of Campari.
The El Splendido (This was the drink Dave at the B-Side served to me that initiated me into the ways of gin. It was invented by the Millionaire from the band Combustible Edison.)
1 1/2 oz. gin, 3/4 oz. Chambord, 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice. Shake rather hard over ice. The texture of fresh lime pulp and ice crystals is nice.
--------
Leave a comment