Gin
The English love Gin and many people think that Gin is an English invention. Gin, however, originated in the seventeenth century in the Netherlands. At that time, spirits were made on a large scale from grain and grapes. In the Netherlands, the jenever was created on the basis of grain, flavored with juniper berries and matured in oak barrels. This jenever was used by the Dutch soldiers to drink themselves courage during the Dutch-Spanish war. The English soldiers who fought in this war called this drink 'Dutch Courage' and liked to drink a glass with it.
The English took this cheap drink home and started distilling 'Ginniver' themselves. At one point there were about 7000 official distillers of Gin in London. This cheap drink was drunk so frequently that politicians decided to intervene with the levying of taxes and excise duties. A rule that was ignored by everyone. Later in 1700, a law was enacted that Gin could only be sold by licensed café owners. The quality improved, the price increased and drinking Gin gained more social status. Partly because of the Gin palaces that were opened in London and attracted a richer audience.
Gin Tonic
The English started mixing the Gin with Tonic in the eighteenth century. Somewhere in India with the army of the British East India Company someone invented the Gin Tonic. The substance quinine added to the tonic helped against malaria. The British officers tempered the bitter taste of the quinine with a mixture of water, sugar, lime juice and gin .
Gin Tonic ratio
There are many flavors of Tonic nowadays and the ratio will also differ to taste but initially you can assume a ratio of 1 part gin (50ml), and 2 parts tonic (100-120ml). And then of course experiment with different garnishes and flavor combinations, just as long as you have discovered your favorite!
Gin cocktail with lavender and hibiscus.
Delicious Gin cocktail with the scent of Lavender, let those summer evenings come. This Gin cocktail has to pull for 5 days for the optimal taste and smell so you need some time for it....
- Mix the lavender, the hibiscus leaves and the gin in a large airtight mason jar. Close the jar tightly and leave it in a dark cool place for about 5 days.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve over a large bowl. This is an important step because the drink can become very bitter if you leave the lavender in the gin for too long. Pour the purified gin into an airtight jar and store at room temperature. Use it within 4 months.
Gin cocktail with orange and cloves
Also for this cocktail, the cloves have to pull in the Gin for a few days. The orange can get a bit bitter so strain the gin after a day or three.
- 1 teaspoon dried orange from the box with Gin Tonic herbs
- 6 cloves
- 100 ml Gin
- 200 ml Orange juice
-
Mix the Gin the dried orange and the cloves. - Leave to infuse for 5 days and strain the GIn over a bowl. Store the clean gin in an airtight jar at room temperature. Serve the Gin with orange juice.
More Gin Tonic recipes can be found here .