A great title to one of my thoughtful birthday gifts this year… a recipe book of 60 beautifully botanical cocktails by Jassy Davis.
So why am I writing my ‘Friday Foodie’ about gin, well its a product that has just literally flooded the drinks market, there are so many gins available now and tomorrow – Saturday 9th June 2018 is World Gin Day. So why not?
Every food and drink festival I attend, food fairs in London, even browsing the supermarket shelves there are so many gin brands out there, afraid I did ask the question, isn’t there enough gins? but actually there are still more coming onto the market, being developed with different flavours and colours and according to the experts there are room for more! Gin is booming because of its diversity and the flourishing cocktail culture is having a striking impact…
Monkey Collins – A delicately flavoured cocktail, made with another homemade infusion (this time a cordial whipped up with butternut squash, pineapple and dill) this is a thirst quenching, approachable long drink.
Ingredients: 50ml Monkey 47 gin, 40ml butternut squash, pineapple and dill cordial, 6 dashes Bob’s coriander bitters, Fever-Tree soda water, Gruyere.
Method: Fill a long glass with ice and add the bitters, gin and cordial. Top with soda water, stir gently and garnish with gruyere. Taken from foodism magazine.
Waitrose newspaper this weekend covers Phillip Schofield’s top 4 British Gins: 1. Historic Roots, Mr Hobbs Gin £40/70cl. 2. Think Pink with Nelson’s Rhubarb & Custard Gin £40/70cl 3.A Taste of the Seaside, Conker Spirit Dorset Dry Gin £36/70cl and 4. Clean and Fresh, Anno Dry Gin made in Kent £36/70cl.
“People are making stronger G&T’s at home than they used to, a survey has revealed. Nearly half (45%) said they pour only two parts or even one part of the mixer to the spirit in a survey for Waitrose Weekend. And experts say the move away from three or four parts tonic to one part gin is because of the new flavours available… Gin has also become less juniper-forward. You’ve got lighter, more subtle flavours such as florals and citrus notes, and they get drowned more easily by tonic.”
“There are more local gins, more choice, and more temptation to pick differently. The consumer has also become younger, with less inclination for decade-long loyalty to one brand.” Waitrose Weekend 24 May 2018.
Reading between the lines, people are collecting gins. They maybe buy two gins – one is a Gordon’s or Beefeater for regular use and another is maybe a new name, a great bottle, more premium spirit for impressing friends!
The Pantiles Gin Festival & Jazz this weekend in Tunbridge Wells. ‘Come and join the best Artisan Gin Producers on the Pantiles’ and as I was invited to a special gin launch last night – I don’t need to be asked twice, I was straight down to Tunbridge Wells.
I had met Emma Priestley over the past few months at networking events and we have our common love for food. Then she told me her and her husband were involved in launching their own gin – how fantastic! Its called ‘Pipehouse Gin’ and this was an interesting article about why Pipehouse Gin is the new thing!
Chapel Place is a great little wine and cocktail bar in the Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells this is where Pipehouse Gin was launched last night. They are promoting 115 gins and the majority of those are British! It was great to meet the four young people behind the brand and what an exciting adventure they have started. I have enjoyed this gin with a few samples (all about who you know) I really could pick up the cucumber flavour and I find it a really fresh subtle drink, far too drinkable infact! A group of us ladies last night (I did say anyone for gin?) enjoyed two cocktails with the Pipehouse Gin firstly the ‘Pipehouse Martini served with a slice of cucumber and a pinch of black pepper and then the ‘Summer Cup’ which was sweet with Pimms and a gorgeous long summer drink which was perfect for the summers evening out on the cobbles of the Pantiles.
So what are you doing to celebrate World Gin Day? If you need some ideas, this has just arrived in my in-box… Virgin Experience Days – World Gin Day – Cheers!
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