Gin

[yvonne johnson]

Sauntering down the aisles in Union Square Wines and Spirits yesterday I spotted a handsome bottle that looked like it had come from a hundred year old pharmacy. Hendrick’s Gin. This claims to be small batch, handcrafted gin distilled and bottled in Scotland.  It has coriander, juniper, citrus peel, rose petals and wait for it…cucumber infusions. Anyway I splashed out (ฬ) and got some.

For a friend and me, I made a couple of gins and tonic. Tons of ice, generous measures of gin and a little tonic. I then followed the instructions for the Hendrick’s g & t which mandate adding a slice of cucumber instead of lemon or lime. Call me whacky, but it was delicious.

Cool (as a cucumber) website

http://www.cucumbergin.com/

I'd be interested in hearing about other people's fav gins, their fav gin drinks and how others go about making a proper g & t.

[Simon Majumdar]

I have tried cucumber gin and while it would not be a drink of preference, it does work in a bizarre way

My own choice for gin would be Bombay sapphire which I use in G&T and Martini's alike.

Bombay has just enough of that juniper taste to come through a strong tonic, which is what you want ( only ever Indian Tonic Water )  I would use 2/1 in favour of tonic over ice which has been cracked with lemon or lime juice and the glass should be cold if not frozen.

Interestingly enough, where I live in London is the site for many of the old gin producers ( Gordons, Gilbeys, Booths ) and consequently many of the pubs round there are old "gin palaces" with fantastic Victorian furnishings.  The best of these is The Eagle ( on The City Road ) which while not being great as pubs go is stunning inside and a piece of history being part of the origins of Pop Goes The weasel.

[yvonne johnson]

I found a cute nursery rhyme site that has Pop! goes the weasel.

http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/pop.htm

Hadn’t thought of that rhyme in years. I'm wondering if it has a hidden meaning I'm missing.

Cracked ice with lemon or lime. I’ll give that a go. I usually use big cubes of ice and put in lemon/lime at the end.

Gordons, Booths, Beefeater are all fine I think.  During the 1980s, Gordons did a very good tv and movie-house ad campaign in the UK. Like the Benson &Hedges ads, they were works of beauty (and no artsy person will convince me otherwise)..  As for Bombay Sapphire, I like the look of it (lovely blue-tinge) and the smell of it, but I’ve noticed I get headachy (irrespective of amount drunk!). Something in it doesn’t seem to agree with me tho I like it at the time.

[yvonne johnson]

I found a cute nursery rhyme site that has Pop! goes the weasel.

http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/pop.htm

Hadn’t thought of that rhyme in years. I'm wondering if it has a hidden meaning I'm missing.

Cracked ice with lemon or lime. I’ll give that a go. I usually use big cubes of ice and put in lemon/lime at the end.

Gordons, Booths, Beefeater are all fine I think.  During the 1980s, Gordons did a very good tv and movie-house ad campaign in the UK. Like the Benson &Hedges ads, they were works of beauty (and no artsy person will convince me otherwise)..  As for Bombay Sapphire, I like the look of it (lovely blue-tinge) and the smell of it, but I’ve noticed I get headachy (irrespective of amount drunk!). Something in it doesn’t seem to agree with me tho I like it at the time.

[Simon Majumdar]

Not for this board I am sure but what the heck?

Pop goes the weasel originates from the fact that hatmakers in the city of London got paid on Monday to stop them spending all their money on booze on  saturday night and missing church.  This meant that by the weekend they were out of money for food and more importantly, gin.  So they used to hock their tools.  The main hat making tool was a "weasel" used for stretching hats and the pawnbrocker was refered to as "uncle" or "pops"  Hence Pop goes the weasel

The first verse everybody knows about having money to by half a pound of rice.  The second verse is less well known and goes

Up and down the city road

In and out the eagle

That's the way the money goes

Pop Goes the Weasel

If you come back to London, the Eagle Pub, still has this verse painted on its out side wall.

Not about food or drink but interesting huh?

[Damian]

I'll bet that Hendrick's would make a wicked Screaming Viking.  I wonder if the cucumber is slightly bruised?

[yvonne johnson]

I've never tasted one.

If this is it http://www.webtender.com/db/drink/1594

I think I could appreciate it.  Something like a martini with lime juice?

As for this rendition, then this is a Screaming (Very Insane ) Viking

'>http://www.bardrinks.com/drinks/drink.asp?id=5160267

[Damian]

Sorry, obscure "Cheers" reference.  Goes like this.  Woody is about to lose his job to a far more competent bartender.  There's a contest and all the regulars order Screaming Vikings, a nonexistent drink, the other bartender insists there is no such thing...Woody repiles "Would you like the cucumber slightly bruised?" appearing to have a connossieur's knowledge of the thing, and keeps his job.

I'm sure there are now a thousand iterations of this mythical drink by now, all some how or other involving "slightly bruised" cucumbers.

[yvonne johnson]

Damian: Thanks for the information.  All is now clear :).

[Okanagancook]

Bumping up a “gineric” thread 😀, I was made aware of this recent win by a Canadian  distillery.  And the good news is I may be able to score a bottle locally in little old Penticton...tomorrow...wish me luck they still have some.

https://www.cheknews.ca/vancouver-islands-sheringham-distillery-takes-a-top-prize-at-world-gin-awards-537280/

 

[Okanagancook]

😁

[kayb]

If you ever run across Seersucker gin, you might want to try it. Website here. Distilled in San Antonio, I think. I see they now make a lemon-flavored and a lime-flavored, danged if I see why, as the original is very citrusy. It's about the only gin I will drink.