Monday, November 29, 2004

Gimlet Eye

Gimlet is a word that goes back to Middle English and has to do with sharpness and the quality of penetration. A gimlet is a sharp little hand tool for boring holes, and a “gimlet-eyed” individual possesses a piercing gaze. Take your cue form the history of this word: A gimlet should meet the taste buds with an eye-opening sharpness.

The best gimlets are made from freshly squeezed lime or, for a delicious variation, freshly squeezed limon (the offspring of a lime-lemon cross).

If your don’t have fresh limes or don’t want to exert the effort to squeeze them, use Rose’s lime juice.

Gimlet with Fresh Lime

Serve in a chilled old-fashioned or lowball glass.

2 oz. gin
½ oz. fresh (or limon) juice
Lime twist or lime slice

Stir gin and juice very vigorously in a mixing (shaker) glass with cracked ice; pour into the serving glass. Garnish with a lime twist or lime slice. May also be served straight-up: Stir with ice cubes, then strain into the serving glass.

Gimlet with Rose’s Lime Juice

Serve in a chilled old-fashioned or lowball glass.

2 oz. gin
½ oz. Rose’s lime juice
Lime slice
Use a shaker or blender to mix the gin and Rose’s with cracked ice; pour into the serving glass. The best garnish is a lime slice, which gets more of the natural juice into the drink. May also be served straight-up Strain the shaken or blended ingredients into the serving glass.

Tom Collins

Serve on the rocks in a Collins or highball glass.

2-3 oz. gin Club soda to fill
1 ½ oz. lemon juice Maraschino cherry
1 ½ oz. sugar syrup

Combine all ingredients except club soda and cherry in the serving glass with ice. Stir well. Fill club soda, and garnish with the cherry.

The Complete Idiot's Guide

Brother Juniper: The Joys of Gin

Although not everyone likes the taste of gin by itself, it vies-with vodka as the most mixable of spirits. It can be combined with just about anything.

Also called Pink Gin, Gin and Bitters is a singularly bracing and sophisticated combination.

Gin and Bitters

Serve straight-up, strained into an old-fashioned or lowball glass.

2 oz. Gin
½ tsp. Angostura bitters
Stir the gin and bitters in a glass with ice cubes until well chilled. Strain into the serving glass.

Gin and Campari

Serve in a lowball glass.

1 ½ oz. Gin
1 ½ oz. Campari
Combine gin and Campari in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into the serving glass filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice or a twist of orange.

Gin and Sin
Serve straight-up, strained into a cocktail glass.

2 oz. Gin
1 tbs. Cinzano
Combine gin and Cinzano in a glass with ice, stir until well chilled, then strain into the serving glass.

Negroni

Serve straight-up in a chilled cocktail glass.
2 oz. Gin Splash of club soda
½ oz. Sweet vermouth Orange peel
¾ oz. Campari

Combined all ingredients, except the orange peel, in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into the serving glass. Twist the orange peel and drop into the glass.

Gin and Ginger

Serve on the rocks in a chilled highball glass.

1 ½ oz. gin
Ginger ale to fill
Lemon twist

Combine gin and ginger ale in the serving glass filled with ice. Drop in the lemon twist.

Gin and Soda

1 ½-2 oz. gin
Club soda to fill
Lemon twist
Pour the gin into the serving glass filled with ice. Add club soda, and garnish with the lemon twist.

Gin and Tonic

Serve on the rocks in a highball glass.

2-2 ½ oz. gin
Tonic water to fill
Lime wedge or lemon twist

Pour the gin into the serving glass filled with ice. Add tonic, and garnish with a lime wedge (traditional) or, if you prefer, a lemon twist.

The Complete Idiot's Guide

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