It's Gin & Tonic Time
On my second one, I'll probably get deep into the weeds about bio-enzyme dish detergent
Here are your weekly Pocket Pebbles, smooth stones of culinary and travel inspiration for the weekend …
What’s in my glass: Gin & Tonic
Remember that line that Bill Murray says in Lost in Translation: “It’s Suntory time”? Well, it’s gin & tonic time all around the South. The cicadas are rising their songs along with the humidity, and you need something cooling, fresh, and without a lot of spritzing, squeezing, and stirring.
This cocktail can certainly be one of the most maligned drinks out there, plagued by bad gin, flat tonic, and freezer-flavored ice, but it is also one of my FAVORITE cocktails when done correctly. The following will take a bit of shopping prep, but then you have the ingredients for multiple porch g&ts whenever you wish.
Consider the gin. This is a different cocktail than the martini, so I like a botanical-style gin. While Hendrick’s is one of the most popular botanical gins out there -- and if you serve it to me, I will absolutely enjoy it -- I like Hat Trick Gin* the best for this cocktail. Another solid choice is Conniption Kinship out of Durham if you’re ok with a purple-hued cocktail. If you’re local liquor store has neither, then just ask for a botanical gin, which means it will taste like more than just juniper when you sip it.
Consider the tonic. Grocery store-brand tonic is just abysmal and always goes flat in a flash. If you have a soda stream or are simply willing to mix tonic syrup with club soda, then Jack Rudy tonic* is the gold standard. And one bottle in the fridge will last much longer than that bargain tonic, making it cost effective.
Consider the ice. If you use your fridge ice maker a lot, then that works because it will be generally fresh. But if you don’t use ice as a household that much, the stuff you have in the freezer is probably not that tasty. If you can, plan ahead and make a fresh batch (but I completely understand that this might not always be the case. Field conditions prevail, especially when it’s this hot.)
Consider the garnish. Lime is classic, but don’t let not having one stop you from having this cocktail. A lemon peel, a slice of cucumber, or even one of those Cuties mandarins in the mesh bag will work.
*Made in Charleston, SC. “Why are you featuring two things from Charleston in this section you ask?” I reply: “Have you been to Charleston? It’s gin & tonic conditions for months out of the year. We know this drink better than a lot of the country.” 🙂
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