Cassie's Fancy Pants Gin Cocktail

Turning over the blog to Hugh today. Be nice...

So, my sweet wife decided that my inaugural post should be about her favorite cocktail treat. I used to be a bartender, so I'm typically the drink-maker around this place.

Cassie's beverage tastes have followed an odd route from apple martinis in college (this always makes me laugh, because you couldn't pay her to drink one of these now), to margaritas in our early days as an item, to her heyday of champagne and white wine.

Within the last year or two, she decided to be bold and to try something new: the old fashioned gin cocktail (preceded by her French 75 phase). I think that this came on the tail of our first visit to our favorite restaurant on the planet, Holeman & Finch, in Atlanta. While this drink doesn't take the bartending skill found at H & F, it is delicious and dangerous and perfectly refreshing (says the wife).

So to make it, I think it is best to first make some simple syrup. To do this find a sealable container, and add equal parts warm water and sugar. Put the lid on tightly and shake the hell out of it until all of the sugar is disolved. This is a little work, but the tasty drink will be your reward. The other good thing about the simple syrup, it will last in the refrigerator for a long time and it is a quick way to add sweetness to just about anything.

Now for the good part:

Start by rinsing a lemon and using a vegetable peeler to take off one longitudinal strip. Then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bottom of a small glass. As you probably know, citrus should be refrigerated to extend its shelf-life. However, this doesn't make for the juiciest lemons. So, when you remove your lemon from the fridge, roll it with some pressure under the heel of your hand on the counter to get the juices flowin'.

Next add an ounce and a half of gin. This is about three tablespoons. Or one-and-a-half shots.

Now add about two to three dashes of Angostura, or old-fashioned, bitters. This can be found at the grocery store or at any liquor store for a couple of dollars. It is an important component that adds a ton of taste (and a little color as well).

Finally splash in about one to one and a half tablespoons of simple syrup (depending on your personal taste). Cassie tends to enjoy the drink a tad more sweet; I opt for a little less sweetness.

Now add some ice and watch the drink rise to the top of the glass. Next, shake it vigorously for a few seconds to break up some of the ice and meld the flavors. Pour contents of shaker into your glass of choice. Then, twist that strip of lemon over the top of the drink and rub it around the rim of the glass. This seems unnecessary, but it actually releases a little oil and gives the drink a nice lemony smell while you drink. And, as my wifely editor says, it looks pretty:



Cassie's Gin Cocktail
A White Hot Husband Original
serves 1

1 lemon, washed
1 1/2 ounces Gin
2 - 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons simple syrup
Ice to fill glass

Remove a strip of lemon rind with a vegetable peeler. This will be your twist.

Next, juice lemon into serving glass. Remove any seeds. Add gin, bitters, and enough simple syrup to make it as sweet as you like. Add ice to fill glass. Invert serving glass into larger cup (a quick cocktail shaker). Shake vigorously for a few seconds.

Pour drink into serving glass. Squeeze your lemon twist over the drink, run it along the edge of the glass, and drop it in. And, then it's, as I like to say to Cas, "Bottom's up, tea cup." (Cas then responds, "Chug-a-lug, milk jug.")

That's it. Couldn't be easier. The drink that is, not blogging. Thanks for reading along today. Enjoy, and hopefully, I will be back soon to post about a drink that some of Cassie's gentleman readers will enjoy. Or to post about knife-fighting, MCubed.

Post Script: I know the reason Cassie wants me to guest post: it's one less post that she has to come up with this week. I am on to her blog-slacking ways.

Post Post Script: Cassie here to add: you know Hugh wrote this post because "one longitudinal strip?" Really? That's got Hugh written all over it. Love him.

Also, just for explanation - Hugh is always talking about starting a blog with our friend Matt and stealing all of our White Hot and MCubed readers. The subject of said blog? Why, knife-fighting, of course. I tried to explain that that is not really my target demographic...

Now, let's leave Hugh lots of sweet comments so he'll post again soon!