The Ginless G & T

Drinking a Gin and Tonic somehow makes me feel very British. They're everywhere in London so of course, when I was there in April, I had to do some research (effectively drink a lot of gin and tonics) so I would be able to share with you, my loyal readers, everything G & T.  At the time I had not envisioned that I would need to devise a G & T without gin but here we are.

The flavor most associated with gin is juniper berries so I had the idea that if I made a Juniper berry simple syrup I could, perhaps, approximate the taste of actual gin. Most gins contain other flavors beyond Juniper so I added orange and grapefruit peel, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds. I hope you love the results as much as I do.

The Ginless G & T

Ingredients

• 2 t Juniper Berry Simple Syrup (see recipe below)
• 7 oz Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic
• A squeeze of lime juice
• Lime round for garnish

Put one large ice cube into a rocks glass, add syrup and tonic and stir gently. Squeeze in a little lime juice and garnish with a lime round.

Juniper Berry Syrup

Ingredients

• 1/2 C Water
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 1 T Juniper Berries
• 5 Cardamom Pods
• 1 t Corriander Seeds
• 1 Strip of Orange Peel
• 1 Strip of Grapefruit Peel

Crush the Juniper berries and spices with a mortal and pestle. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool and strain into a small bottle or jar. Use within a few days. If you want a longer-lasting syrup, omit the citrus peel and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Cheers!

Darcy

PS: Next week our Mixology Basics series begins where we will learn how to set up a home bar and the best recipes for the classic cocktails every aficionado needs to know. See you there!