The martini is the most obvious, of course; while a martini was for decades a gin drink and only ever a gin drink, by James Bond’s time vodka had begun to appear, and by the age of the three-martini lunch, one or two of those tax-deductible martinis were probably vodka spritzed with the breath of vermouth and floating a plastic-sword-speared olive.  The gin and tonic, thankfully, has gin right in the blessed name, so at least people who want vodka have to order a vodka tonic.

But order a rickey or a gimlet and you just might get vodka and lime.  Even the Tom Collins has been to a great degree displaced by its vodka cousin, the lemon drop.  Had the trend continued unabated, might we not soon see the Ramos Vodka Fizz, or a French 75 made with Ciroc?  It is, luckily, very easy to fight back — by replacing the vodka in traditional vodka drinks with gin.

A Cosmopolitan is, to its credit, one of the better vodka drinks.  The combination of cranberry juice, vodka, triple sec, and lime juice is built to proper cocktail proportions — this is a far cry from the vodka and Diet Coke concoctions that put drinkers up in arms.  But use 2 parts gin to 2 parts cranberry juice and 1 part each of fresh lime juice and triple sec, and you’re dealing with an even more well-rounded drink — the dryness of the cranberry and tartness of the lime play against the flavor notes of the gin beautifully without being overshadowed, and given the piney nose of gin’s juniper, what more festive pairing than cranberry?

Then there’s the Greyhound and the Salty Dog (which is just a Greyhound in a glass with a salted rim).  So often made with vodka these days, both vodka and gin are attested in older cocktail guides.  The bitterness of grapefruit juice is a good complement to gin — and without the gin, well, it’s just a glass of juice that’ll get you tipsy.  Where’s the pleasure in that?  Combine three parts grapefruit juice to one part gin, on rocks or with soda, and enjoy.

One of the drinks that put vodka on the map was the Moscow Mule — vodka and ginger beer.  Audrey Saunders, the bartender behind the Pegu Club in New York City (one of the epicenters of the modern cocktail scene), has come up with the Gin-Gin Mule, showing that the Moscow Mule was missing something all along.  To 1 1/2 ounces gin, add 1 ounce ginger beer, 1 ounce simple syrup, 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice; muddle mint in the glass before pouring the drink, serve over ice, and garnish with more mint.  Audrey insists on homemade non-carbonated ginger beer, which she makes in bulk: boil a gallon of water, blend a pound of ginger with two cups of it, return the ginger puree to the water, and let it stand for an hour with the juice of two limes; strain, pushing on ginger to extract as much juice as possible, and add 1/4 cup of brown sugar.

Of course, these drinks needn’t be used purely as revenge against vodka’s crimes — they’re also good introductions to gin for people familiar with the vodka versions.  None of these drinks hides gin’s flavor, but they pair it with familiar “safe” flavors — if you’re new to gin, it would be better to start here than with a Singapore Sling or an Aviation.

Cucumber & Royale

Our friends at Hendricks revealed this delight of a drink:

1 oz Hendricks Gin
½ oz cucumber simple syrup (1 cucumber blended with 4 oz simple syrup)
rosé champagne

Pour ingredients in order into a champagne flute and stir gently. Garnish with cucumber slice and enjoy.

Tower of London

Bulldog Gin suggests this intriguing combination with an earthy green tea foundation and floral overtones:

2 oz Bulldog Gin
1½ oz St Germain Liqueur
2 oz green tea
1 oz simple syrup
0.5 oz sake

Shake well. Serve in a highball or collins glass over ice. Garnish with lychee.

French 75

Many people suggest the French 75 for a springtime cocktail, although we enjoy it year round. After all, a drink named after a World War I artillery shell should be enjoyed across the seasons. Nevertheless, the brightness of the champagne in this drink evokes summertime refreshment while the sweetness keeps the flavor profile grounded in spring. Plus the yellow pastel color matches the finest spring attire:

1½ oz gin
2 oz lemon juice
1 tsp quick-dissolving sugar
champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add all the ingredients except champagne. Shake, then strain into a chilled champaign flute and top with a champagne. Garnish with a cherry.

Miller’s Pear-fection

This luscious cocktail from Martin Miller’s Gin also has a fabulous pastel color – orange – that certainly fits the season. The interplay between the gin, Pernod and Pear flavor is also plenty of fun!

2 oz Martin Miller’s Gin
4 oz pear nectar
½ oz Pernod Anise
1 oz simple syrup
0.5 oz sake

Shake well. Serve in a highball or collins glass over ice. Garnish with lychee.

There you have it. The best gin cocktails for spring from many different perspectives!

1. Stellar Gin Apple Cocktail

As we celebrate the onset of the fall apple-picking season, Stellar Gin recommends this seasonally appropriate version of Gin & Juice:

1½ ounces Stellar Gin
3 ounces apple juice
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 apple slice (red or green), for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and add the garnish.

2. Satan’s Whiskers

Eric Felton recently extolled the virtues of Satan’s Whiskers in a recent Wall Street Journal column Halloween Cocktails Needn’t Be Frightful. Here’s his excellent recipe:

½ oz gin
½ oz dry vermouth
½ oz sweet vermouth
½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice (blood oranges preferred, of course)
½ oz Grand Marnier
1 dash orange bitters

Stir with ice until bitingly cold and then strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist. For a variation, substitute Cointreau Noir for the Grand Marnier.

3. Negroni

With a reddish color to match autumn’s falling leaves, the Negroni is the classic cocktail of choice for the cool fall evenings:

1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

4. Maple Gin Fizz

As described earlier this year at SlashFood, Jason Neu created the Maple Gin Fizz, which feels like an invitation to winter with its robust amaretto and maple flavors.  A cockle-warming delight!

2 ounces gin
½ ounce amaretto
½ ounce cream
1 egg white
½ ounce pure maple syrup
1 ounce lemon juice
Seltzer

Shake all ingredients except seltzer with ice for at least one minute. Strain into a champagne flute and top with a splash of seltzer.

5. Thanksgiving Gin Cocktail

This recipe has many variations, but we believe this version is just the thing to get you in the turkey mood.

1 oz gin
½ ounce dry vermouth
½ ounce apricot brandy
½ teaspoon creme de cassis
½ teaspoon lemon juice

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

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 entire trees, small ones, are harvested for the bark. Ceylon cinnamon is harvested for small shoots, making it much more delicate and expensive. Cassia has a rougher texture and looks more like bark than true cinnamon. True cinnamon peels off in layers; cassia is one thick piece of bark.

Cassia is an Asian spice mentioned in the Bible and used in the mummification process in Egypt. Moses was ordered to use cinnamon along with other botanicals to anoint the Ark of the Covenant and it is mentioned again in the book of Psalms. Cassia is used mostly in cooking, it is aromatic, warm, sweet but compared to true cinnamon it is bitter and astringent. The Greeks and Romans used cassia to flavor wine and it is thought that the Greeks also left cassia at temples along with incense and myrrh as gifts for the temple. Doctors in ancient times thought cassia could cure snakebites, freckles, colds and kidney ailments.

Cassia is currently being tested to determine whether it has a real effect on blood pressure. It is possible that it may ease hypertension. It is also been tested for use by diabetics to reduce blood lipid levels. In Germany there were concerns that the coumarin levels were too high. Coumarin is a factor in cassia from which several anticoagulants are derived, that inhibits hepatic synthesis of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. Other countries are not as concerned and have higher limits for coumarin intake.

Those who believe in its magical powers use cassia oil for meditation; those powers are purported to extend to defense, energy, power, protection, success, health and healing, lust and love, money and riches, creative work, astral projection and purification. On a slightly less esoteric level, its aromatherapy uses include use of the oil to get rid of lice and scabies, ease wasp stings, aid in poor circulation, stimulate contractions in childbirth, cure a number of gastric and digestive conditions, rheumatism, coughs, colds and viral infections and warts. Additionally it is used for strengthening, as a restorative and as an aphrodisiac.

These curative powers are a common thread running through the botanicals used in making gin. Cassia is warm, as is juniper, and the oil is an astringent. Its slightly bitter aspect blends well with the sweetness of angelica root and licorice and balances well with the citrus found in the sweet orange. Most of these botanicals are thought to help in digestion, aid in eliminating insomnia, are used to fight infection or disease and they all boast of being aphrodisiacs. With the new breed of superior gins like G’vine, some with as many as 19 infused and distilled herbal flavors, these botanicals are the secret ingredients that make the magic something to believe in.

Juniper is not a cultivated crop. The plants grow wild and the people who harvest the berries pick by hand and throw the berries in a sack. It takes berries from more than one supplier to make up the amount a big distillery needs. Luckily, a little bit of juniper goes a long way. The berries are harvested in the fall and go through rigorous testing by each distiller to meet the grade necessary for a consistent quality beverage.

Gin is not the only the product based on the juniper berry. It is an important spice in the traditional dishes of Central Europe such as sauerkraut and venison. In ancient Rome, juniper berries were used in place of peppercorns that were rare and expensive. Juniper berries used for cooking are always crushed, never used whole. They are used sparingly, mostly with game meats, pork or for curing fish. Recipies that highlight juniper range from simple dishes like Blueberries in Gin Syrup to more subtle dishes like Juniper-Brined Roast Turkey. Yum!

When cooking with juniper, remember that it is used as a diuretic and also as an agent to stimulate uterine contractions during labor. Breastfeeding women, women who are pregnant, people with kidney disease, children under 12 and elderly people should not eat food prepared with juniper.

Juniper is used widely in herbal medications. It is used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Its oil has an antiseptic quality that disinfects the urinary tract as it passes through. The berry also has a diuretic effect that dilutes the urine. It is also used in the treatment of bladder stones. It is used as a digestive aid and as a relief to many gastrointestinal disorders. It is purported to help with rheumatism, arthritis and gout. Applied as a poultice made with its diluted essential oil, it warms the tissues by perfusing them with blood. It relieves the pain of swollen and aching muscles and joints. Juniper can be inhaled as a vapor to help treat bronchitis and pulmonary infections and the berries can even be chewed to freshen the breath and heal infected gums. As was pointed out in using juniper in the kitchen, care must be taken in its usage and a qualified professional should supervise all usage. Because juniper bushes are plentiful in the grazing areas of sheep it has been noted that it has a curative effect on them, also. Local veterinarians used it to cure dropsy in sheep.

Botanicals have a rich history and role in folklore, juniper is no exception. The Holy Family was said to hide from King Herod’s soldiers in a juniper bush. In Grimm’s fairy tale called “The Juniper Tree,” murder, cannibalism and revenge all make for gruesome bedtime reading. Juniper was burned during outbreaks of the plague. Scottish folklore claims the smoke from juniper wood fires was used for ritual purification of temples. It is used for “smudging” a house to clear it of evil spirits and used a charm to ensure long term protection.

Juniper is the defining ingredient in gin, but the family has grown recently, adding new takes on the standard recipes. The selections range from Hendrick’s Gin, with its infusion of cucumber and rose to evoke the feel of drinking in an English garden to Aviation Gin in which lavender gets equal time all the way to Junipero, a gin hoped up on juniper-steroids so as to resemble a Steinhäger dry gin, one that is aromatic, but with few botanicals added. Finding the perfectly juniper-balanced gin for this evening may take awhile, but it is time well spent.

Gin’s rich history and cultural impact has graced us with many memorable quotes. Here is a collection of my favorites, best enjoyed with an Upside Down Martini, in memory of Julia Child.

[My longevity is because of] .. red meat and gin. - Julia Child

A good heavy book holds you down. It’s an anchor that keeps you from getting up and having another gin and tonic. – Roy Blount Jr.

A perfect martini should be made by filling a glass with gin then waving it in the general direction of Italy. – Noel Coward

The proper union of gin and vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived. – Bernard DeVoto

Zen martini:  A martini with no vermouth at all.  And no gin, either. – P.J. O’Rourke

I’ll stick with gin.  Champagne is just ginger ale that knows somebody. - Alan Alda as Hawkeye in M*A*S*H, episode “Ceasefire”

And the sooner the tea’s out of the way, the sooner we can get out the gin, eh? - Henry Reed

[Gin has produced] … a drunken ungovernable set of people. – Thomas Wilson

Gin was mother’s milk to her. - George Bernard Shaw

Gin by pailfuls, wine in rivers, Dash the window-glass to shivers! For three wild lads were we, brave boys, And three wild lads were we; Thou on the land, and I on the sand, And Jack on the gallows-tree! - Sir Walter Scott

I exercise strong self control. I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast. – W.C. Fields

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine. – Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca

If you have any other quotes about gin that you think we’re missing, please pass them along! Thanks!

First, the last month’s release of the movie Julie and Julia showcases the cocktail’s creator and advocate, Julia Child.  I’ve always appreciated the fact that she attributed her longevity to “red meat and gin”.  Despite her perceived benefits of gin, vermouth was a far more popular ingredient in her recipes. The Upside Down Martini – with far more vermouth than gin – is naturally her cocktail of choice.

As the New York Times recently noted, the other big event is that Julia’s favorite vermouth, Noilly Prat, are returned to selling its original European recipe in the United States. The availability of this arguably richer vermouth means that we can now easily enjoy an Upside-Down Martini in the original form that Julia enjoyed. The recipe is quite simply:

5 parts dry vermouth (Noilly Prat is ideal)
1 part gin sweet vermouth
Lemon twist for garnish

Pour vermouth into a wine glass filled with ice, top with gin and garnish with lemon twist.

Smuggle into the theater and enjoy the next showing of Julie and Julia from a new perspective.

The martini is probably the offspring from the wrong side of the sheets of two older drinks, the Martinez (named for Martinez, California) and the Manhattan.  A sweet drink for its time, the Martinez used sweet vermouth instead of dry, maraschino liqueur, and Old Tom gin; the Manhattan uses whiskey and vermouth in a 4:1 ratio and a dash of bitters.  The melding of the two sometime in the last couple decades of the nineteenth century gave way to a sweetish gin drink built to the Manhattan’s proportions, one which became less sweet when dry vermouth was adopted instead.

The drink probably takes its name from Martini & Rossi vermouth, which in most of the world is branded simply as Martini.  The classic martini is gin and dry vermouth, stirred in a shaker of ice and strained into a cocktail glass.  The proportion of gin to vermouth varies — classically it ranged from 2:1 to 6:1, and there is a good drink to be had in the “Fifty-Fifty,” which is half of each.  Although everyone’s heard “shaken, not stirred,” remember that the reason 007 has to state his preference is because that’s not the standard way to make a gin drink, which is typically stirred; many people believe shaking bruises the gin.

The penchant for exceptionally dry martinis was, in hindsight, part of the 20th century trend of dismantling the martini entirely.  First, martini lore began to minimize the vermouth while ritualizing the drink itself, calling for a wet vermouth cork to be rubbed along the rim of the glass, or for the unopened bottle of vermouth to simply be displayed to the martini.  Atomizers are still available for spritzing the glass with just enough vermouth to coat it.  This results in a drink that is little more than cold gin — which, while a good way to enjoy the right gin, is just not the same thing.

Next came the vodka martini.  Vodka gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, and its sales were soon boosted by the public preference for sweet drinks; since the law requires unflavored vodka to be tasteless, it’s the ideal ingredient for adding alcohol without flavor.  That makes it remarkably poor for a dry martini, and in fact the vodka-and-vermouth drink already existed in the form of the Kangaroo.  But vodka producers, seeking to establish in-roads in the American market, latched onto the popularity of the martini in order to hawk their wares.

On rare occasion, something may be substituted for the vermouth.  Lillet Blanc is a common example — both vermouth and lillet are fortified white wines, though that’s like saying both Riesling and Pinot Grigio are white wines: they’re similar but not synonymous.  James Bond’s famous Vesper martini, introduced in Casino Royale, uses both gin and vodka (3:1) and a measure of Kina Lillet, which is no longer produced but included quinine as an ingredient.  Quinine is the same bitter root that gives tonic water its bite, so it’s no surprise 007 enjoyed it with gin.

In the classic era of cocktails, the smallest change to a drink led to a different name, and so some near-martinis are christened accordingly.  The Gibson, probably named for Charles Gibson (the illustrator whose “Gibson girls” were the height of glamor at the turn of the 20th century), uses a cocktail onion as its garnish, instead of an olive.  A dirty martini splashes some of the olive brine in with the olive, while a Hendrick’s martini — made with Hendrick’s gin, which includes cucumber peel in its botanicals — is served very dry, garnished with translucently thin slices of fresh, cold, English cucumber.  If you’re trying a new gin, especially one that prides itself on its botanicals, you may not want the distraction of the olive — a lemon twist may do, or no garnish at all.  I’m fond of a peppadew — a sweet-hot South African pepper about the size of an olive — in a wet martini with a bright gin like Citadelle.

The original martini called for a dash of orange bitters.  Unlike Angostura and Peychaud’s, orange bitters are harder to come by these days — but several brands do exist, and Angostura’s own orange bitters premiered in stores in mid-2007.  Bitters provide an accent, like seasoning your food; the difference between a martini with and a martini without is not profound, but it is noticeable.