Wednesday, August 8, 2007 | by nathan
Summer Nights #1: Gin Fizz
Summer Nights #1: Gin Fizz
Have I mentioned I hate August? It’s my least favorite month by far. It’s always the month that ruins summertime for me, because it’s frantic, and too hot, the days too long. It’s always when all the momentum from the beginning of summer peters out and you’re left feeling like you accomplished nothing you’d have liked to, not had as much fun, not lived as well and as deeply as you could’ve.
So, as the summer winds down, I’m going to do a short series on wonderful ways to continue to enjoy the hot weather. One is, of course, via getting shitfaced drunk, like I did last weekend, on gin fizz. If you’re sick, like I am, of gin and tonic (of tonic in general, to be honest), this is a wonderful, spritzy, light drink that’s perfect for those nights watching the Perseid Meteor Shower, swatting mosquitoes, playing tired games of fetch with the dog or sitting and talking with friends. Here’s the recipe, which I am also sending in to Salon’s "No More Gin and Tonics" contest :
1 part gin
1 part lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best, but from a bottle will work in a pinch)
1 tsp confectioners’ sugar
club soda
Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar together and strain over ice. Fill with carbonated water, and serve. You may garnish with a citrus twist or mint leaf.
NOTE: I’ve made pitchers of this before, and it’s wonderful to serve in large quantity, as it - ahem - does the trick rather quickly and tastes delicious. However, if making in a pitcher do not greatly increase the amount of confectioners’ sugar. Otherwise you basically have a 7th grade science fair volcano. Mixing drinks is all about chemistry, you know.
| summer nights, Proof |
Comment by J-Money
Thank you. You have provided a wonderful recipe for tonight’s dinner.
Don’t worry, I’ll also be having canapes. And by “canapes”, I mean “a bowl of Shrek cereal”.
8 August 2007 7:21 pm
Comment by T Town Tommy
Mmmm looks delish on a hot August night, good post.
8 August 2007 11:18 pm
Comment by Hypeful
Great post! Although it’s difficult to ever imagine growing tired of the classic gin and tonic, the gin fizz is a nice change of pace until Tanqueray will finally introduce the gin intravenous drip (”Gin I.V.” for short).
Also, what’s your email address? Am I overlooking it on your site?
9 August 2007 3:48 am
Comment by Jonathan
“Sick of gin and tonics”??? What the hell is wrong with you? But I will try out this recipe on Tish. I think she’ll dig it. Thanks dude.
9 August 2007 12:30 pm
Comment by Nate
Wow. The whole “sick of gin and tonics” thing has got me in some serious trouble.
I’m just really tired of tonic. I don’t like it, at the moment, though I blame the fact that I’ve had a WHOLE LOT of vodka & tonics in my life for that. I’d just rather mix with club soda these days.
I’ll go back to gin & tonic. It’ll just take awhile.
9 August 2007 12:33 pm
Comment by Brian
I’d like to take this opportunity to state for the record that as a part of my husbandly duty, I drink enough gin and tonic for both of us, thereby keeping our per capita G&T consumption well above the national average.
9 August 2007 1:16 pm
Pingback by Okay City » Summer Nights #2: Fire It Up
[…] you’ve got your drink in hand and maybe at the end of a day you’re feeling a bit peckish. There’s plenty of daylight, still, and […]
9 August 2007 1:36 pm