Gimlet

It’s a question I get asked often…how did you get into this? And the answer is actually pretty simple…Gimlets. A classic cocktail I fell in love with many years ago. Its origin and namesake, like many old cocktails, is up for debate. Perhaps named after ‘the gimlet’ a tool that was used to bore holes into barrels of spirits aboard naval ships, or the more widely accepted story and my favorite, named after the naval doctor Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette.

Gimlette is remembered for suggesting the now-famous combination of gin with the prescribed scurvy-preventing lime juice. Lime juice on ships would oxidize and bitter, making it pretty rough to drink. A little gin (or rum for the enlisted) went a long way to making it go down a bit easier. Although Gimlette’s idea wasn’t entirely original, he is the one who is remembered for voicing it.

I wanted to master this drink – to be able to create it at home to perfection. So I began researching, watching videos and reading about various specifications of the drink. I asked a couple of bartender friends about their recipes and techniques. And of course, I mixed.

I made multiple variations for taste tests. You would think since it’s just 2 or 3 ingredients…how many variations can there be? It became surprising how just a ¼ ounce shift of any ingredient changed the balance and flavor of the drink dramatically. Finally, I nailed it and found my perfect recipe.

I thought I had mastered the drink, until a few years ago, when I came across a mention of Jeffery Morgenthaler’s recipe for lime cordial. I was no stranger to lime cordial. A classic green label that’s been around since about 1860 that many recognize and can still be found in just about every grocery store today.

While this is considered the standard for the gimlet in equal parts cordial and gin, I always found the mixture unpleasant. But, the idea of a fresh scratch cordial had me rethinking things.

“What is a cordial?” Many people associate the word with a liqueur. However, it can also refer to a tonic, a syrup or a sweetened non-alcoholic drink. In this case, I am referring to a syrup. I purchased some citric acid (what most sour candies are coated in) and created my first batch.

My husband, Aaron, and I teamed up with a few friends for a “Gimlet Tasting”- comparing the store-bought cordial, homemade cordial and my go-to recipe. It was overwhelmingly unanimous, fresh cordial was the clear winner. My eyes were opened to cordials and all their potential.

Over the years, I have tried making cordials out of anything in season with a mostly solid success rate. Rhubarb, oranges, lemons, cucumbers, strawberries and grapefruit to name a few. They are such an easy and interesting way to extend citrus life and make just a few limes stretch for an entire social event. They work as a unique base to start building a cocktail around but because of their versatility as a syrup the uses are limitless – drizzle over dessert, creating a quick fresh juice for the kids or a little splash to liven up some sparkling water.

So that’s how I got here. What began for me as a simple pursuit of the perfect Gimlet has turned into a passion for the art of mixology.

Erin’s Must Haves
A list for starting your own mixology journey…
• Shaker – Cocktail Kingdom Koriko® weighted shaker is a standard for good reason, but if you want to splurge I also love the Elevated Craft Hybrid Cocktail Shaker.
• Jigger – These come in many shapes and sizes, so it is just a matter of personal taste. Personally, I always reach for my Cocktail Kingdom Leopold® Jigger.
• Hawthorne Strainer – Barfly makes a great one.
• Juicer – OXO Good Grips 2-in-1 Citrus Juicer. Any hand squeezer will work, but they can be less efficient in my experience.
• Bitters – Start with a bottle of Angostura, but orange and Peychaud’s are a close second pick if you are up for a few.
• 1-2 bottles of spirits that appeal to you – I encourage you to try multiple recipes that include the ingredients and bottles you have on hand. Options are endless with just a couple of bottles.

Ready to add a few more items? I’ve got you covered…
• Mixing Glass
• Stirring Spoon
• Julep Strainer
• Muddler
• Channel knife and basic peeler
• Grater/Zester – Microplane is my go-to.
• 1-2 bottles of liqueur when you’re ready – I’d suggest an orange liqueur, vermouth or an aperitif/digestif such as Aperol.

Gimlet
INGREDIENTS
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce lime cordial
• Garnish: lime wheel

STEPS
1. Add the gin and cordial to a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Lime Cordial Recipe
INGREDIENTS
• 250 grams sugar
• 8 ounces/240 ml hot water
• 1½ ounces/45 ml fresh lime juice (measured by volume)
• 8 grams freshly grated lime peel (or 1½ ounces/45 ml measured by volume)
• 25 grams citric acid (1 ounce/30 ml measured by volume)

STEPS
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds.
3. Strain with a fine strainer.
4. Bottle and refrigerate. I’ve always found it gets used up before it goes bad, but it should be fine stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Recipe courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com

Texas Paloma
INGREDIENTS
• 2 ounces mezcal or tequila
• ½ ounce Aperol
• ¾ ounce Grapefruit Cordial
• ½ ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1-2 dashes Scrappy’s Bitters Firewater *optional
• 2 ounces mineral water

STEPS
1. Add everything but the mineral water to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Top with mineral water and garnish with fresh grapefruit.

Smoke and Mirrors
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ounce grapefruit cordial
• ¼ ounce fresh lime juice
• 2 slices of jalapeno
• 2 drops of liquid smoke
• 8 ounces of sparkling mineral water
• Tajin for the rim

STEPS
1. Rim the glass in Tajin by running a lime wedge around the top and rolling the area in Tajin
2. Add everything but the sparkling water to a collins or highball glass and fill with ice.
3. Top with sparkling water and give a light stir with a straw.

Seasonal Option: Valentine Spritz
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ounce gin
• 1 ounce strawberry syrup
• ½ ounce orange curacao
• ½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 drop rose water *optional
• Champagne for topping
• Fresh strawberry slices for garnish

STEPS
1. Add all ingredients but the champagne to a shaking tin with ice and shake until sufficiently chilled.
2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Top with champagne and garnish with fresh strawberry slices.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

Sweetheart Shirley
DRINK INGREDIENTS
• 1 ½ ounce strawberry syrup
• ½ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 drops rose water optional
• 10 ounces ginger ale, lemon-lime soda or sparkling water
• Maraschino cherries and/or sliced strawberries for garnish

STRAWBERRY SYRUP INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced.
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• Juice of 2 lemons

STEPS
1. Make strawberry syrup: Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Turn off heat, and add the sliced strawberries. Using a potato masher, break up the strawberries. Cover and let rest for at least one hour and ideally overnight in the fridge. Strain the strawberries through a fine mesh sieve. Press the pulp to release all the juices and flavor. Syrup will last in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week.
2. Fill a tall, narrow glass or highball with ice.
3. Pour strawberry syrup, lemon juice and rose water over the ice and give a quick stir.
4. Pour in the ginger ale, soda or sparkling water.
5. Garnish with maraschino cherries or strawberries.

By Erin Estill

Photos By Shayli Anne Photography

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