Dec. 29, 2010 - Issue #793 : Selling Out
Provenance
The history of gin
Because gin could be made cheaply and easily, it quickly became a popular beverage and the poor man's alcohol of choice. It was far cheaper than beer or wine, and in the early years was not taxed. Alcoholism became rampant in poorer areas, leading to still-familiar expressions as "gin joints" and "gin mills" for disreputable bars. Shady characters and prostitutes were often to be found on "gin lane."
Interestingly, gin and tonic is likely the first and oldest highball, thanks to gin's immediate appeal with the British military. Soldiers were given liberal rations of gin, as it was cheap and in many cases safer to drink than water. Soldiers sent to distant lands were faced with additional challenges such as scurvy and malaria. Quinine, the first known reliable antidote for malaria, is found in tonic water. Many soldiers refused to drink tonic water alone, but found it very pleasant when added to gin. As for scurvy, the citrus peel additives to gin were not enough to cure scurvy, but were often enough to help prevent it.
The style of gin most common today is referred to as London dry gin. This type of gin is distilled with hints of lemon and bitter orange peel, anise, angelica root, licorice, cinnamon, savory, lime and grapefruit peel, saffron, frankincense, coriander and nutmeg.
Some of the more popular gin cocktails include: Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Gimlet, Salty Dog, Pink Gin, Singapore Sling and White Lady. Of course, we can never forget the classic martini, with just a hint of Vermouth ... and three olives, please. V vueweekly.com comments: powered by Disqus
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