Taking on the Tanq

I will declare now and forever (likely,but no promises) that I love Tanqueray. I'm not alone either, those dah-lings at the New York Times scooped my blog idea back in 2007 and did it in one lunch (those posh lushes!) by tasting 80 martinis. Somewhere in the debauchery it was declared that a Tanqueray martini was like "a martini peeking out from behind librarian's glasses", but at least one taster also declared their adoration for the Tanq.

I don't know if it's just reminiscence that keeps the fire in my heart for Tanqueray burning. It is a more subtle gin, but the juniper is undeniable and you also pick up hints of mint. I also like how clear Tanqueray is...Citadelle and Hendrick's almost have a somewhat muddled cacophony of infusions going on in comparison. Somedays I like the complex, other days Tanqueray is like a solid, exceptionally focused gin hitting on the right notes.

Gin and Tonic

1 part Tanqueray gin
2 part tonic
lime
ice

Place ice in a highball or whatever glass you choose. Add gin and squeeze juice from a lime wedge. Drop in lime wedge and muddle with a spoon as you stir the gin. Add tonic and an optional second lime wedge. Enjoy.


Tanqueray and tonic is what sold me on the joys of gin, and I've yet to really meet a gin I don't like. So, I'm going to forgive those pesky NYT dah-lings (partially in hopes they invite me to the next martini lunch) because they so eloquently described why I love gin and where my disdain for vodka comes from: "But where vodka stays neutral, gin is infused with botanicals — a witch’s pantry of roots, berries, herbs, dried fruits and spices — dominated by the piney, breezy aroma of juniper berries. Other common botanicals include angelica, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, lemon peel, licorice, fennel and ginger." If that doesn't whet your appetite for gin, you must be a member of what someone in the NYT article called "a generation lobotomized by vodka." You can read the whole NYT article here.

Up Next: Down and Dirty Martini

Shaken vs. Stirred: A Tale of Two Gins

I thought it best to just address this one head on and early given how often the poorly executed Bond impersonation (oh, it's gotta be the face, the body swagger and a bad accent, doesn't it?) comes up when I bring up gin for the first time with someone: "Shaken, (upper body swagger) not stirred." Here's the real rub on this for me: Bond is ordering a vodka "martini." And yes, the quotations are because there is no such thing as a real martini made with vodka.

So, let's look beyond the foolery of Bond's "martini" ordering ways. What's the difference between shaking and stirring? Is there a difference? If so, how should you order your martini to optimize the gin drinking experience? Well rumor has it that if you shake a gin martini you will "bruise" the delicate molecules of infusion that makes the gin so wonderful. You'll also shake air bubbles into the drink and cut some of the vermouth-iness (thicker, oiliness) out of the martini. Now, Bond doesn't really have to worry about all of this because he started with an inferior drink. I'd angrily shake the glass if I was given a vodka "martini" too. On a potentially positive note, the shaking will most likely get the martini cooler faster (the gin will be more exposed to the surface area of the ice,maybe?!) Stirring is a gentler way to treat one's martini,but it does require a spoon or stir stick. While it takes longer to mix when you stir versus shake,remember that's working to your benefit because gin is enhanced by interacting with small amounts of water that melt off the ice.

Now, to be clear, I'm not a true connoisseur, rather I'm a gin enthusiast who is a dishwashing dis-enthusiast; so I swirl my martini. That's right, part stir, part shake. I'm one rebel with a cause: delicious, cool martinis that I can enjoy instead of loading the dishwasher.

Thanks to the straight dope for their "shaken, not stirred" article. I loved this book growing up.

Up Next: Taking on the Tanq

Cool as a Cucumber -- Hendrick's Gin.

There is something about summer that makes me crave gin. Maybe it's the water sweating through a glass of cold gin and tonic with the refreshing splash of lime as you sit on your front porch/step/stoop/curb watching summer pass lazily by. Whatever it is, it's around this same time that my mind begins to dream of diving into an abyss of the coolness known only as the refreshing taste of a cucumber. So, imagine my delight with Hendrick's gin with its notes of cucumber and rose petals that goes so well in a chilled cucumber martini. I fully realize that opening my "The Fabulous World of Gin" blog with a post on a cucumber martini is a risk, but really in the oppressive heat of summer nothing cools the spirits more (so I'll take that risk.)

Cucumber Martini

2 1/2 oz Hendrick's Gin
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (optional)
Shaved cucumber

Advice:
Chill your martini glass in advance. Stir (or shake) gin and vermouth with ice in a martini shaker or pint glass. Keep in mind you're not just chilling the gin (which you could do by storing it in the freezer) you're also mixing it with the water molecules that melt into the gin which enhances the flavor. Next strain the gin into your chilled glass and use a vegetable peeler to first peel your refrigerated (helps keep things chilled) cucumber and then shave thin slices of the cucumber into your glass. If you want a garnish keep a third of your cuke unpeeled and cut slices for the edge of the glass.

Do you taste the subtle citrus peel and more obvious juniper in addition to the rose and cucumber in Hendrick's gin? Hendrick's claims its gin is "not for everyone", but the truth is it is gin itself that seems to have more than a few who don't appreciate what it has to offer. This is a shame, and I hope these people come to their senses and realize that while they imbibe in the tasteless drudgeries of vodka and its ilk they're missing out on a treasure trove in gin's unique infusions. They likely will not, but really that's okay because Hendrick's is only brewed in small batches (so that means more for me.)

To find out more about Hendrick's gin (or sample cocktail recipes for this unique gin), visit www.hendricksgin.com.

Up Next: Shaken or Stirred?

Welcome to the Fabulous World of Gin

Embrace your inner gin lover. This blog is dedicated to exploring the spirit with no comparison. I will review new gins, suggest tastings, and explore the history and world of gin. If nothing makes you happier than the thought of a refreshing gin and tonic or the miraculous joy of a good martini, welcome home!