Coriander was found in King Tut’s tomb and mentioned in the Bible. The name may have derived from the Greek word for “bedbug” because of the unpleasant smell of the green berries and flowers. As the seeds ripen, they become sweeter and aromatic.

Many of the botanicals used in making gin have interesting histories and folklore attached to them. Coriander was used in medieval times to mask the flavor of rotten meats and in a similar usage, is used in sausage making even today. It was used by the Romans as a meat preserver and used in British pharmacies to hide the flavor of some medicines. It was thought to help with digestion when made into tea and it has been used as a diuretic when boiled with cumin and drunk as tea. It has been used to relieve gas, anxiety and muscle spasms. It has also been used to ease insomnia, although some medicinal list coriander as a stimulant. In folklore, its uses include love potions, spells and aphrodisiacs, although it did need to be added to wine to become a “lust-potion.” Some of its magical properties were thought to confer wisdom on the unborn child of the mother who consumed it, memory improvement and increased potency. Some cultures thought the overuse of the seed might have been narcotic.

In the kitchen, coriander is used in almost every culture and cuisine. The seeds are used for flavoring; the leaves in salads, soups and stews, and the roots are cooked like a vegetable or used in making flavored pastes such as red curry. Usually the seeds, also called the fruit, are purchased whole and are roasted or warmed to enhance the aroma before grinding. Ground coriander seeds lose their flavor quickly and the powder should be stored in an airtight container in a dark, cool place. Coriander is used in Indian curries and acts as a thickener for Indian gravies and sauces. They can be roasted and served as a snack. Asian cuisine uses the roots; most notably they are used in Thai cooking. The leaves are used in guacamole, salsa, chutneys and sometimes in sushi rolls. The distinctive flavor is sometimes described as metallic or soapy, but those flavors may not be universally experienced as there is a suggestion that there is a genetic trait involving an enzyme that changes the taste for some.

The fresh astringent flavor of coriander makes it a natural addition to gin. Its citrus flavor is often combined with sweet orange peel or lemon to blend with the aromatic juniper berries. Its properties are also similar to angelica root; another commonly used botanical in gin making. Both of these herbs when used medicinally are thought to cure digestive problems, calm the nerves and relieve insomnia. Is it any wonder that gin is still the first choice of so many when they decide to relax with a cocktail?

]]> http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/coriander-for-rotten-meat-love-potions-and-gin/feed/ 0 http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/licorice-for-gin-and-a-million-other-things/ http://wiredgin.com/gingredients/licorice-for-gin-and-a-million-other-things/#comments Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:19:27 +0000 paul http://wiredgin.com/?p=14 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 reduced even further to a solid form which can be powdered. Licorice root contains a compound that is 50 times sweeter than sugar; in some places the root is dug up washed and chewed to freshen the breath. Dried licorice root can be eaten like candy. In Syria, Italy and Egypt all have variations on drinks made from licorice extract.

Licorice root is also one of the botanicals used in some gins. Bombay uses licorice root, as do Blackwood’s Nordic Dry, Citadelle, Mercury and G’Vine, which also uses grape flower as a flavoring. Beefeater is also a common gin that also uses licorice root. It adds a bittersweet flavor that perfectly supports a gin & tonic as well as adding a bite to any cocktail where gin is front and center, such as a martini or French 75.

Licorice has a long history, going back 4,000 years. King Tut was buried with a supply to take with him into the next life. The Chinese have used licorice for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Started in the 1930’s, the use of licorice in the manufacturing of tobacco for chewing or smoking is still one of its primary uses, making up about 90% of the total usage. Some shampoos and conditioners are also scented with licorice root and it is used for some fore extinguisher compounds. Old wives’ tales about licorice say that chewing on bits of licorice root enhances lust and love, especially for women. Pass the Sen-Sen, please!

Cough syrups, throat lozenges, mouth ulcers and tooth powders are all uses for this botanical. Licorice is an expectorant, an agent that soothes and cools, an anti-inflammatory agent and has been known to successfully treat stomach ulcers. Canker sores have been effectively treated with a licorice mouthwash. The main active ingredient in licorice is glycyrrhizin and it is known to stimulate the activity of the adrenal glands. Licorice root is also being used to treat patients with hepatitis C. Further studies are also beginning to suggest licorice is an effective treatment for heart disease as it may help to reduce high blood pressure. One study has shown some effectiveness in treating patients with HIV and Japanese encephalitis, but those studies remain inconclusive and the findings have yet to be duplicated in larger studies.

Licorice can be administered in teas, lozenges, mouthwashes, chewable tablets, liquid form (tinctures) and dried root. As with any herbal medication, special care should be taken to see if licorice reacts with any medications already being taken. Using licorice for extended periods of time can also have adverse effects, so care must be taken to avoid adverse reactions or side effects.

As you sip pensively on your martini this week, know that the subtle licorice flavor evokes much more than the box of Good ‘n’ Plenty that you get at the movie theater. As a medicinal herb, it’s been around a long time. Ancient warriors chewed on the root of the sweet licorice plant to quench their thirst when there was no water to be found. Licorice is the gin botanical of a million uses, including making your gin more tasty.

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The Gin & Tonic has probably has the richest history of any gin beverage. Tonic water’s history in Europe dates back to the 1600′s, but it has been in use far longer by the Quechua Indians of Peru. The unique flavor of tonic water comes from quinine, which the Indians derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, or “quina”.  It has been used as medicinal “tonic” to relieve the symptoms of malaria and alleviate shivering in cold temperatures. Some believe it can help restless leg syndrome, leg cramps and other problems because it acts as a muscle relaxant.

Today’s commercial tonic water is only a distant, sweet “lite” version of the original. In the United States, this quinine-less flavor arises from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) limits for tonic water content to be less than 83 parts per million. That’s for good reason. Health benefits aside, quinine at medical concentrations has plenty of side effects, from cardiac arrhythmia, Cinchonism and other risks from overdose. Consult the FDA summary for more information. Therefore, if you dare to explore this “how to make tonic water” post, be careful that your concentration of quinine is not too strong and check with your friendly neighborhood chemist to confirm it. Legalese: Don’t blame us if you get sick.

Nevertheless, homemade tonic water is delightful – much more flavorful than the processed dreck that most purveyors sell (Q Tonic, Fentimans and John’s Premium Tonic Syrup are notable exceptions). Many interesting recipes on the web (such as here, here and here), include exotic ingredients like saffron, lemongrass and allspice that only distract from the taste of a gin – even though they may be fine beverages to help rescue a vodka and tonic from inadequacy. After skillful research, many catastrophes in the Wired Gin labs – as well as some delightful tastings – here is how to make the best homemade tonic water in the world:

The Ultimate Tonic Water

• A scant 1/4 cup of Cinchona Bark
• One quart (four cups) of water
• Juice and zest of two limes (or lemons if you want a brighter “right of the pond” taste)
• 1/4 cup of Citric Acid (also known as sour salt at some local grocers)
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 3/4 cups cane sugar
• Sparkling water, such as from a Sodastream, an iSi Soda Siphon or just club soda purchased from your local grocer

In a small pot, boil the water with the cinchona bark and lime juice at a low simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. Filter the resulting “tea” through a coffee filter to remove the debris from the cinchona bark and lime zest. While the liquid is still hot, add the sugar, salt and citric acid and stir vigorously. Cool the syrup in your refrigerator.

You’re almost there!

After the syrup has cooled, if you want to try plain tonic water,  add 1 part syrup to 2 to 3 parts sparkling water to taste. You’ve just created the most elegant, woodsy and deep-flavored tonic water. Ever. But, as British officers knew 150 years ago, this beverage needs gin! Experience this version, then move on to the recipe below.

To make the perfect homemade gin & tonic, start with a hearty gin such as Junipero or Tanquaray Classic. Into your favorite gin & tonic glass pour:

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part tonic water syrup
• 3-4 parts sparkling water

Drop a few ice cubes into your glass, admire the unique amber color of your beverage and quaff with delight.

Many insightful people have posted tonic water recipes with far more exotic ingredients (here, here and here), including saffron, lemongrass and coriander. Ugh. These only cover up the creativity of the gin maker! Gin has so many botanicals, so why pollute its flavor?  If you buy bad gin (or even worse, vodka), these recipes may be helpful. However, try this recipe with a good gin and your taste buds will fly!

Please comment if you’ve had a chance to make this tonic and have ideas to bring it closer to gin perfection!

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!

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.