The Gin and Tonic is a wonderful highball that wraps together the botanicals of gin, with the quinine bitters of tonic, all accented by a wedge of citrus.
Odd as it may seem, for what eventually became the modern-day Gin and Tonic, we do owe some measure of thanks to the mosquito. At least, to the species that transmits Plasmodium falciparum, an organism that causes malaria. British soldiers stationed in India back about the 1800's were vulnerable to this infection, and the treatment was quinine, an extract of cinchona bark. Trouble was, that quinine is indescribably bitter, and anyone for whom it was prescribed, dreaded its taste. Gin and its botanical components (mostly juniper) made the bitterness of quinine more palatable, or so one theory purports. Quinine water was, indeed, considered medicinal and therefore considered a "tonic." Hence, the birth of the Gin and Tonic (or "G and T," as it's sometimes called).
The Gin and Tonic is considered a highball (spirits plus a carbonated mixer) and is generally garnished with a wedge or slice of citrus - usually lemon or lime. The amount of gin can vary, with the preferences of the person consuming it. The modern-day gin and tonic should be cold and refreshing, so the use of ice and well-chilled tonic water is essential.
The tradition of gin and bitters is an old one, and in another post, I'll discuss Pink Gin, a cocktail made with gin and Angostura Bitters, another preparation containing quinine.
In the meantime, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin_and_tonic for some basics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cinema Recommendation: Any movie about India will do, but my personal preference is
Bhowani Junction (1956). It stars two of my favorites, Ava Gardner and Stewart Granger and is directed by George Cukor.
No comments:
Post a Comment