Granted, I have not had a cocktail in over nine months, because pregnancy and nursing, so I am not up to date on the best places to score a drink in Philadelphia, and definitely out of the loop with that of D.C. However, I found myself sharing my cocktail routine with my mother-in-law last week and got a hankering for a Gibson.
When we were living in Kazakhstan, I steered myself away from drinking wine because I had a tough time not finishing the bottle once I cracked one open. Though it was more acceptable during the times of quarantine, three and a half drinks is too much for me on a daily basis or even in one sitting. As an alternative, I decided to switch to nursing a single cocktail. There is much less of a chance for me to indulge in a second drink when there is an actual recipe rather than just a pour or even a top off.
Flavor profile-wise, I turn up my nose at any vodka / dirty martini. It is my opinion that those who drink their martinis with copious olive juice are either not using the right brand of spirit or do not really like martinis and only drink them because they have been influenced by James Bond.
the gibson recipe
Martinis should only be made with gin. I like Bluecoat, because Philadelphia, but Tanquery, Beefeater, and Sapphire are also good options. While we were in Kazakhstan, my husband perfected his Gibson, making it much easier to limit for one drink nightly. He would mix up the cousin of the martini in a mason jar prior to going to bed and prep a cocktail glass with an onion. After I retired from work for the evening – or really the early morning, as I worked my 9 to 5 from 6 to 2-ish – I would give the mason jar another shake, pour it into the glass, and enjoy.
- 4 parts gin
- 1 part vermouth
- ice
- cocktail onions
Shake gin, vermouth, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Strain into a glass. Garnish with cocktail onions.
Always drink responsibly.
