Wired Gin

Cassia Bark: A Snickerdoodle for your Gin Cocktails

28 August 2008 – 9:03 am
When you bite into that Snickerdoodle from the local bakery or sprinkle a little cinnamon on your venti mocha from the coffee shop, did it ever take you to another plane? Did you realize that some days, the days you did sprinkle on that extra touch of cinnamon that you were feeling a little bit more creative or artistic? Cinnamon, or what we Americans know as cinnamon, in reality it is cassia bark, has long been thought to have magical powers. And like the other botanicals used to flavor gin, it has aromatherapy uses and medicinal properties. Cassia has a long history and an interesting story. The spice that is sold in the United States and Canada is actually derived from the bark of the cassia tree. It is a stronger, hardier plant than the Ceylon cinnamon, which is true cinnamon. The flavor of the cassia is stronger, and branches and ...

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Coriander: For Rotten Meat, Love Potions and Gin

12 August 2008 – 8:28 am
  Look in any mid-to-well-stocked spice cupboard and you will find coriander. Look in any grocery store produce department and you will find cilantro. What you may not know, however, is that they come from the same plant. The plant that is grown for seed is referred to as coriander; it consists of the roots, seeds, leaves and flowers. Cilantro refers to the leaves and stems only and it is usually found fresh. Coriander is used in many cuisines such as Latin American, Thai, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian and African. It is used in soups, sauces, and chutneys and can be described as having a warm, nutty, spicy or citrus flavor. That's why it is used as one of the botanicals to flavor gin. It is especially detectable in the London Dry gins.   Coriander was found in King Tut’s tomb and mentioned in the Bible. The name may have derived from the ...

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Sippin’ on Gin and Juice

31 July 2008 – 7:51 am
Though hip hop's role in the resurgence of gin since the early 90s is an oft-neglected topic, I want to talk more broadly about combinations of gin and fruit juice. Fresh juice, while it may seem the furthest thing from revolutionary in this age of flavor labs and umami and turkey-flavored soda, has been a key component of the modern cocktail movement, which includes both the cocktail revival (a return to traditional spirits like gin and long-forgotten ingredients like creme violette and maraschino) and the modern mixologists doing new things with new ingredients -- whether lychee-and-Bulldog martinis with a spritz of yuzu juice, or lavender Dry soda with Citadelle gin and a dash of Campari. It's all part of the modern drinker's insistence on flavor, not just a cheap drunk. You can, of course, simply add gin to a glass of your favorite juice and see what happens. ...

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Angelica: Gin is Medicine, Too

23 July 2008 – 10:59 am
Angelica Archangelica: it sounds like a famous work of art, something you should recognize like the Mona Lisa or the Pieta. It is, in fact, a root used in herbal medicine and in the flavoring of gin. It is used for sweetening in the kitchen and has many uses as a medicinal botanical. It has also been used as currency. In these modern times it is used to flavor the liqueurs Chartreuse and Benedictine, in schnapps, the aperitifs Vermouth and Dubonnet and in the aforementioned gin. Angelica has a colorful history; its said that its medicinal properties are thought to have been discovered when a monk dreamt an angel showed him the plant and revealed to him its power to cure the plague. Its powers are also linked to protection from evil spirits and exorcism. Folklore has it used as a protection in the home and when it is burned in ...

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Top Gin Drinks for Summertime

18 July 2008 – 8:11 am
As we approach the dog days of summer, it is time to venture beyond gin & tonics. Not that we're against a frosty G&T - its just that there's so much more gin can offer for summer refreshment. Light mixers let you enjoy the nuances of gin in a less alchoholic form so you can quaff a little more enthusiastically than in other seasons. So, if you're feeling the need to explore this summer, try these five tasty treats:     1. The Spring Tao recommended by our friends at Hendrick's provides a refreshing mix of 50/50 Hendrick's Gin with grapefruit juice aloong with a small does of simple syrup and a bit o' rhubarb. The bitterness of the rhubarb complements the gin nicely.     2. Pimm's & Lemon: Everyone on the other side of the pond knows about this one. As they recommend over at Pimm's, fill a jug with some ice and add one part Pimm's Cup ...

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The Gimlet

17 July 2008 – 4:39 am
The martini is the public face of gin, the iconic cocktail -- deservedly so, to be sure. Its popularity is approached only by the gin and tonic, that refreshing and pleasantly bitter concoction of the British. But my favorite everyday gin drink - the one that requires no special ingredients, unlike a Last Word or an Aviation - is the gimlet: gin and Rose's lime juice (known as "lime cordial" outside the USA). This is a drink with a longer history than you may realize. Rose's lime cordial, a mix of lime juice and sugar, has been around since 1867, when it was used to provide a citrus ration to British sailors, in an attempt to prevent scurvy. (The use of limes in British sailors' diets is where the term "limey" comes from.) Although many people will make a gimlet these days with fresh lime juice, which is a perfectly good drink, ...

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Licorice: For Gin and a Million Other Things

30 June 2008 – 11:19 pm
Most of the botanicals used in flavoring gin are also used in herbal medicines, teas and even cosmetics. Licorice root is used for a variety of products and processes that range from curing a wide variety of ailments to enhancing tobacco. Cough medicine is one of the first everyday products that comes to mind, right after jellybeans, of course. Licorice is also used in cooking, soft drink production and the making of spirits and liqueurs. The pulp leftover after the liquid is extracted can even been used to make boxes. The licorice plant is a member of the legume family, meaning it is closer to lima beans than jellybeans as most candies that taste like licorice these days are flavored with anise rather than licorice. It is the root of the plant that is used; the liquid is extracted from the pulpy root and boiled down to a thick, syrupy consistency or ...

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Bitters: The Negroni, Pimm’s Cup and Pink Gin

23 June 2008 – 7:24 am
Gin has a long-attested affinity for bitter flavors. The British introduced the gin and tonic for medicinal reasons, but it's remained one of the most popular and iconic drinks -- needing little accompaniment except perhaps a wedge of fresh lime or a wheel of orange -- because the coolness of the juniper and the bite of the bitterness make for such a compelling summer refreshment. In this age of appletinis and vodka-laden ice cream drinks, gin's thirst-quenching powers are too often overlooked, but they're at their strongest when paired with a bitter complement. The Italians have always appreciated bitterness, from broccoli raab to radicchio to Sardinia's corbezzolo honey, which has a tawny caramel sweetness but finishes as bitter as crushed aspirin. Italy is home to a number of bitter liqueurs, often called amari or aperitif bitters, and of those, the one best known outside the country is Campari. Made from the ...

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Orris Root: Perfume for Gin

11 June 2008 – 8:38 am
Orris root is a botanical used in the manufacture of perfumes and potpourris. It is also used as a flavoring in gin, imparting the scent of sweet violets. More importantly, though, it binds the aromas of the other botanicals together, keeping them from dissipating too soon. Orris root was banned in parts of Europe; the sale of pure orris root was also banned in the US. The reason it was banned is because of its highly allergenic nature. It causes severe reactions such as hay fever, asthma and cold symptoms and even death. Cosmetics labeled hypoallergenic have to leave this ingredient out of their product. Orris root is the root of an iris plant. The plants are dug up in late summer, the third year of the plant’s life and are dried for 2 years until they have a chalky appearance. They are ground up and the resulting powder is used ...

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The New Gins – An Overview

4 June 2008 – 1:32 am
The recent revival of cocktail culture and the sudden American interest in new flavors -- viz: orange Kit Kats, purple Mountain Dew, chipotle Doritos, chicken on pizza -- are probably the two main factors in the wave of new gins on the market following the resurgence of gin's popularity to the American palate. While the mainstays are still with us -- Tanqueray, Beefeater, Gordon's, Boodles, Bombay, they're certainly not going anywhere, and bless them for that -- the new offerings result in more variety among available gins than the drinking world has seen since London dry gin overtook all the other styles. One of the more popular examples among fans of mainstream gin is Hendrick's. A traditional gin in most respects, Hendrick's subtracts nothing noticeable from the blend of botanicals we've come to expect -- but it adds cucumber and rose, and the cucumber in particular isn't a background ...

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