Give Gin a Chance

If I had a nickel for each time an enchanted person has said to me, "I never liked gin... until I met you!" I'd be a rich woman indeed. The chance to share this magnificent spirit is quite enough riches for me, though (well, even if not at least it's faster than collecting nickels).

During happy hour yesterday at The Pad, we were looking for something bright and springlike like the glorious breezy weather we were enjoying. This treat with muddled very ripe Bartlett Pear, a strong ginger syrup, fresh lime and the consummate Martin Miller's Gin will remind you of how much you love gin (or perhaps coax you to come over to our side).

Give Gin a Chance

1/4 of a very ripe Bartlett Pear, diced for muddling
1/2 oz Strong Ginger Syrup (see below)
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1.5 oz Martin Miller's Gin

Muddle pear with ginger syrup and lime. Add Martin Miller's Gin and shake well with cubed ice. Strain into coupe. Float lime wheel.

To make the ginger syrup, take a large hand of ginger and peel. Grate into a pot and add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, strain ginger, then bring to a boil once again. Once boiling, add two cups sugar and stir until clear and granules have dissolved. Allow to cool, and refrigerate.

My advice? Just try it, and then tell me if you like gin or not! It is quite a challenge indeed to NOT like Martin Miller's fantastic gin. After all, how can a person argue with "let's just make the best gin in the world, and who cares what it costs?" Martin Miller has such a dedication to perfection that he doesn't even bother with London water to finish his gin - only the purest H2O from Iceland will do, with the tagline "Born of love, obsession, and some degree of madness." My kind of fella. It really is exquisite. Makes the most heavenly martini, also.

I just the other day read something amusing about whether Pisco might be the "new gin." A response of "I'm still waiting for *gin* to be the new gin!" amused me. We are, in fact, experiencing what could even be cheekily called a gin renaissance, with the new and spectacular gins released from St. George Spirits (I have sung their praises many times), Martin Miller's, Nolet's, Hendrick's (huge growth this past year), Aviation, the sexy offerings from Anchor Distilling, and many more. Everything from cucumber and rose to Douglas Fir tips, one thing is definitely for sure - these ain't your mama's gins.

Raise a glass - perhaps even as we do to The Queen, God Bless Her - and enjoy.

-- Suzanne