The perfect gin and tonic.
I start with a disclaimer; everyone thinks their own method is the best one. Let's not fall to blows...
but my husband makes what is universally recognised as a world-class Champion g-and-t.
So here is his recipe, carefully adjusted over years: I dare anyone to try it--and please do post a comment if you have an opinion!
FIRST - beforehand
Chill the tonic: the kind that comes in individual size little tins stays the freshest. but whatever size bottle you are using, chill it.
Have biggish ice cubes, not the Dozens-of-little-thimble-shaped ones. (they melt too fast and make the drink too watery)
Use a jigger if you have one;
ours says, 1/4 gill on it. I measured this carefully in a graduated jug and it's 35 ml. (Americans - a reasonably generous 2 tablespoons)
Into a long glass, place the following four ingredients in the order named: ice, lemon, gin, tonic.
See below:
2 or 3 biggish ice cubes
1 or 2 very thin slices of lemon, on top of the ice. Cut thinly, more of the juice and flavour is released.
Pour the gin over the lemon and ice
Top up with about 150 ml of chilled tonic. this is about 5 fl oz, or (for American readers) a generous 2/3 cupful.
You may briefly poke or stir the bottom of the glass to ensure the gin mixes in. No more stirring than this please.
You may, if you wish, garnish the drink with a rub of a slice of lemon or lime around the rim, or a mint leaf or borage flower. The latter look sweet!
A note on lime: although you might think they are much the same, lime has a sweeter aroma but a bitterer flavour than lemon: and to my mind, is not so suited as a match for gin. However it is an acceptable variation.
Sláinte mhaith!
Postscript: once, while visiting Vancouver, BC, - otherwise a delightful city in many ways - we requested a gin-and-tonic in the bar of a posh hotel.
The drink that arrived was a limp, bland apology for g&t
When we protested, the barman showed us the actual tin of tonic water that he had used: to our horror, it contained no quinine!
That is not quinine tonic, clearly: in fact it is little more than lemonade.
You should use the best tonic you can find, and it must contain quinine.
However, low-sugar variants are perfectly acceptable - the taste difference is not detectable.
