I would love it, if only I could afford to drink. Ah, well, perhaps at Christmas...

Incidentally, does any of you Gin lovers know how it came to be invented? Back in the 15th century, there was a huge cholerea epedemic in Britain, and Gin was created as a safe drink, as the alcohol content (around 50-60% at the time) killed the cholera. A whole generation of British adults, and kids, grew up drinking more or less nothing else. Vodka has a similar story in Russia.

Does this also help explain certain aspects of British culture?

Plus, Beefeaters!

Can't beat those three!

Perhaps, but it doesn't explain how the dutchman usually accredited with inventing gin wasn't born until 1614, (17thC)

When I met the future Mrs. HTD and we moved together her dad turned up one day with her two (rather large) lemon trees. It used to take two years for a lemon to ripen and when the first one did, on my watch so to speak, I introduced her to the G+T, took me years to get her off it ...

The Germans for some reason call it GT as in "I'd like a G+T", "Huh, Du meinst ein GinTonic" "Nope I mean a G+T" "Es heisst ein GinTonic" - only the Germans start full scale arguments with the customer - "Two world wars and one world cup makes it a Gin and Tonic" "Haben wir nicht" "OK I'll take a Beer - ups is that Stuttgarter Hofbrau - nope, how about a pint of arsenic instead?"

__________________
Pot Kettle Black

Just haven't tried it . . . yet.

who was that then?

As far as I know, loads of countries make a version of Gin. Its a bit like vodka isn't it, you can make it out of anything?

I'm pretty sure Gin was drunk in Britain in the way I described. perhaps it was a later century. Wolli will no doubt have an opinion, which will at least be interesting.

Why speculate?

Just Wiki . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin

Ok, it was a couple of centuries later than I thought, and apparently it was Italians who started making spirits out of Juniper berries. Although just cos its on Wiki don't mean its nessecarily true.

The things that you're liable
To read in your Bible (in this case, Wiki, or the web in general)
Ain't necessarily so

Anyone tell me who said that for a bonus point?

The Bishop of Durham.
.

et or

try again

Porgy ( not PORKY !! ) or was it Bess ?

I agree, Hendricks over ice, with Fever Tree tonic water: http://www.fever-tree.com/ and several slices of cucumber.

As another choice Martin Miller's gin is made with Icelandic water: http://www.millersgin.com/us.html and works well with above tonic and some lime slices. I think (from when I worked in well know UK off-license) I remember it scoring something like 97/100 in some taste test)

Those are my two personal favourites. Y'know you can buy Hendrick's gin in Zürich? I have seen it in the Coop near IKEA in Dietlikon. I was pretty surprised to see it there, and it is about the same price as in the UK (I guess the factor of import cost is balanced against lower tax on alcohol).

Coop down here ( Geneva area ) hasn't caught on yet.. the only place I've seen it here is in Globus at about double the UK price.

Any idea if Fever Tree is available in Switzerland?

I have not found it yet.
BUT
you can get away with normal tonic in Hendricks if you make some cucumber ice cubes!

1) Bend whole cucumber
2) Sieve
3) Pour into ice cube tray and freeze.

Actually I have just realised I have almost 3L of Hendricks here (somehow visitors keep bringing it over, they clearly know me too well )

Darn - I should NOT be writing this but....
how do you bend a cucumber??
(Woody Allen would politely ask you "why"...)


Paul

How? Either do this

Attachment 23676

or make it overstay its bottom-time and then skip the decompression stops


Why? "Because It's There"

LOL - you should have a drink, man
I'll rephrase Woody Allen's question, verbatim...
"Sooo... why would a young scottish woman want a bent cucumber, when its natural shape just opens up so many ...ehr...wonderful uses?"

Ciaooooo

P.

LOL you better sell your organs before you get used to this gin :-)

Two things to try:

Hendricks (of course)
Tonic (naturally)
Ice (for me a necessity) then either

a) Slice of cucumber (as said before) and....a twist of fresh ground black pepper; or in the summer

b) lots of fresh mint

And as an aside, a list of my favourite gins in order of preference:

1) Hendricks
2) Raj (only had this at Widder Bar but it was so smooth)
3) Plymouth (was number 1 until I was introduced to H and was 2 until Widder Bar - which incidentally has been my downfall - pricey but love it)
4) Tanqueray No 10
5) Tanqueray
6) Bombay Saph