Gin Drinks - Reader Mail #1

Yours in gin and eiderdown,

P. E. Taylor

Your question is a good one. Before I toss some recipes over the fence I'll run into a bit of background about Gin. Created in Holland in the 17th century, Gin, like many other spirits, was created as a medicinal treatment for various internal disorders - it was meant to be taken at room temperature. It is a generally neutral grain spirit that is altered by the addition of juniper berries and various other herbs. It's flavouring made it a hit in both England and Holland and this unique flavour, though now different than the original of the late 1600s, helped it survive as a popular spirit today.

Given Gin's unique and notable fragrance, it tends to be enjoyed at room or colder temperature. Most people find that warm or heated Gin to have an overwhelming bouquet and as such it doesn't play a big role in hot winter drinks. If it is used, say in a Gin Toddie, the odor is generally masked by the sweetness of the other ingredients. If you're interested, a good rule of thumb for experimentation is that Gin can be substituted for Vodka virtually anytime.

Recipes that you can try:

Gin Chocolate Egg Nog
Makes about 8 servings
(a touch of a large undertaking. Test your tolerance with Gin and grocery store eggnog mix)

4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened or semisweet cocoa powder
1 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups homogenized milk
1/2 cup Gin (Dutch Gin preferred)
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped to soft-peaks
1/3 cup grated semisweet chocolate

• Beat together egg yolks, sugar, cocoa and vanilla until thick and smooth
• Stir in milk and Gin, mixing well
• Refrigerate mix for 2 hours
• Beat egg whites with salt until soft peaks form
• Carefully fold whipped cream into mixture
• Even more gently fold in egg whites
• Serve immediately, garnished with grated chocolate

Gin Toddie

1 tbsp sugar
3 oz Boiling Water
1 1/2 oz Gin

• Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and Gin
• Fill with hot water
• Garnish with an mandarin orange wedge (or lemon twist)

Cafe Retreat

3/4 oz Gin
1/2 oz Peppermint Schnapps
Coffee (dark roast preferred)
Whipped cream

• Add Gin and Schnapps to coffee in mug
• Top with Whipped cream

Todd Kuipers GD
ireallyloveginlots@tallglass.com