The Gibson

On the surface of it, the Gibson appears to be merely a dry martini with a cocktail onion garnish, instead of an olive or lemon peel.  But as the olive gives a certain character to a dry martini, the cocktail onion - a GOOD cocktail onion - will make all the difference in producing a perfect Gibson.

First, a little background. The most frequently offered story on the Gibson attributes its name to the famous illustrator who challenged a bartender to improve on the martini.  But that particular story is unlikely.  More likely is that the prominent San Francisco businessman Walter D. K. Gibson (1864–1938), was said to have created it at the Bohemian Club in the 1890s.

Whatever the backstory, here's where I make the distinction between the martini and the Gibson:  Shaking.  As for martinis, I say, "stir, stir, stir."  For some reason, a stirred Gibson (to me) never quite makes the grade.  So I fill my impeccably clean stainless steel shaker about 2/3 full of ice, add the ingredients and shake it for a good 60 seconds.  Then I strain it into a chilled cocktail glass and add its signature garnish.

Like all cocktail bloggers, I have my preferences and opinions.  I prefer the larger cocktail onions, to the tiny pearl onions often prescribed in bar recipes.  Why?  Because the smaller onions tend to be fragile, and simply passing a cocktail skewer through them, generally causes them to begin peeling and disintegrating.  The larger onions are far more sturdy.  The ones most commonly seen in liquor stores and supermarkets are the "Tipsy Onions," which are stored in a bit of brine and a little dry vermouth.  The Tipsy brand are too sweet for me.  If you can find the cocktail onions made my Silver Palate, try those.  If they're too sweet for you, dump the pickling liquid and replace it with fresh, white vinegar (or if you prefer, you may use any simple brine used for pickles - stay away from the dill brine).  Here's how I make my Gibson:

The Gibson

3 oz Dry gin (I prefer Beefeater - it's not too heavy in juniper or botanicals)

1 oz Dry vermouth

2 Cocktail onions

Place gin and vermouth into a shaker filled 2/3 with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with two, skewered cocktail onions.  If you like the taste of orange bitters, feel free to add a few drops to the shaker, before you add your ingredients; or you can twist a lemon peel over the Gibson, before you add your garnish.