MXMO ~ A cocktail made in the old fashioned way

What better way to celebrate than a MXMO party?

We're all about Old Fashioned cocktails this month. It's not really fair to think of it as drink zero, more so a movement back to the place where prepping spirits for the palate began. A little peel of lemon has never been out of place.

I found this beauty in a basket at one of my favourite Italian grocers. It was labeled a Sicilian Lemon but I think that's more of a product descriptor than an actual variety. I think it falls into the Citron family and was probably imported from Sicily (that's how my family got here too).


 

It has always hurt my feelings that we get several varieties for oranges but usually only one choice for lemon. Specialty stores will occasionally offer alternatives like Meyer or the variety I chose here. The extra thick pith is less bitter than that of a regular lemon. It gives licence to use the whole without fear of making the drink overly bitter.

The first "mixologists of tipicular fixin's" (mystery solved) were bartenders that in the 1850's would include fresh ingredients, prepared syrups and fancy fruit garnishes in their creations. These drinks actually pre-date the 1880's lump sugar, bitters and water version, that has become popular again today. Bar patrons who wished to skip out on these extra fixings, asking to have a cocktail made in the old fashioned way.

It was American abundance that caused the drink to be so frequently made with whisky. If you read Jerry Thomas's recipes or that in the Savoy, it's clear that any spirit can be used and that it's the formula and preparation that make a drink old fashioned. The one I've made today models the 1860's "plain" Jerry Thomas recipe. Restraint with curacao and simple syrup are what keep it true to form. I could not however resist some over use of my citron for garnish.

Plain Gin Cocktail 2015 
2 oz gin
1 tsp simple syrup
1/2 tsp dry curaçao 
3 dashes grapefuit bitters
slice of Citron



Method
Add ingredients to a shaker filled 3/4 with cracked ice. Shake and strain into chilled glass. Garnish with citron or lemon



























Clearly, given the name of my company, I fall into the group of people who like to mess with the extras. So, I found, as I often do, the challenge set out by MXMO to be a tough one.

Thank you to Sass & Gin for putting this one together, there is an entire month's worth of "old fashioned" over there so check it out!
The roundup post is here, there were some very interesting interpretations on this theme. Read through the very long list and you'll see everything from banana to an historical battle.





Thank you to everyone who has stopped by for recipes over the last year.

Please leave a comment to let me know what other recipes you'd like to see.

MXMO ~ MARTINI WITH PRESERVED LEMON DIRT

I've read more than once that Dale Degroff's favourite, classic cocktail is a gin Martini with an olive and a discarded lemon twist.

Remember that the next time a Hipsterologist rolls his eyes, curtly informs you that he doesn't stock olives and denounces the use of them for anything other than conditioning his ridiculous leather apron. (Those olives were flown in by carrier pigeon from Spain and he crushes them by hand to make his custom Apron Salve $49.95/oz.)

Hipster bashing aside, I too love a gin Martini with both olive and lemon. And, if the world is in perfect alignment, that will come in the form of a lemon stuffed olive.

Yes, such a thing exists.

If you ever happen to see them anywhere, either jarred or in the olive cart, do yourself a favour and pick some up. It might just change your world. 

I used to get them at the St. Lawrence market but they must have gone out of fashion or the supplier stopped making them, or the universe was doing me a solid because I could consume a million of them (olives not Martinis) without ever tiring of the sour, salty combo.

So, I'm left with no choice but to DIY some of my own. Don't worry this recipe has plenty of short cuts. 

I wanted to end up with a lemon stuffed olive and the sour, salty juice so that I could use a splash of it right in my Martini...

You're right, that would make it a Dirty Martini. I'm breaking all the rules this week. 

Why not? Last month's MXMO challenge was Blue Drinks, if it's acceptable to use blue dyed liqueur, surely we can make an exception for the juice of a perfectly preserved, lemon stuffed olive, right?

I've been working on this recipe for a while because I really do love them and rarely see them. Plus, I always like to at least attempt to make things myself even if I go back to the prepackaged version in the end.

Use a knife to cut thick peels. A peeler will not provide enough of the pith. You'll only really need the peel and juice from two lemons per Cup of olives. It's best to buy pitted olives in brine because you can reuse the brine, otherwise you'll need seasoned (salted) vinegar.

Boiling the peels will soften them and remove some of the bitterness. Going through the process twice will leave them tender but firm and the pith will become translucent.

I love Ontario produce, but if I had to live anywhere else in the world, a place where fresh citrus is grown would be high on the list. Better still, somewhere olives and citrus are grown. Trip to Italy?

Cut some small strips, 2 x .5 cm. and push them into your already pitted olives. Put them in a jar with salt, add back some of the pickling liquid, the juice from the lemons and 1 oz of your favourite gin. Give them a gentle turn or two and pop them in the fridge.

If you're into this kind of thing, you'll recognize this process as being very similar to preserved lemons. As such, another cheat would be to buy both the olives and preserved lemons and Frankenstein them.

If you've never had this delicious combo, you're probably wondering why anyone would go to any of this trouble. Once you've had one you'll wonder why you drink any other cocktail, ever.

Martini with Preserved Lemon Dirt
2 oz gin
1/4 - 1/2 oz olive/lemon juice*, fine strained
1 drop orange bitters 

Method 
Fill a stemmed glass with ice and water. In a separate mixing glass add all ingredients. Fill 3/4 with ice, gently stir for 30 seconds to completely chill. Discard water and ice from stemmed glass. Strain mixture into chilled glass. Garnish with lemon stuffed olive.






*Lemon stuffed olives
1 C pitted olives in brine (reserve)
2 lemons, peeled and juiced
1 oz gin
2 tbsp salt


Method
Cut end from lemons, to make a flat surface. Peel thick slices of lemon peel with a sharp knife. Boil peels, discard water and repeat. Drain and cool peels, slice into 2 x .5 cm strips. Push peels into olives. In a small jar add salt, 1/4 C reserved brine, olives and gin. Top off with lemon juice. Place lid on jar and gently turn a few times before refrigerating.


Another great theme from MXMO. Thank you to NhilUtopia for having us explore this topic. I'm once again looking forward to the other entries, many people have firm opinions about messing with Martinis. (Update) Here's the roundup post, so many great ideas!

Please feel free to hate on me in the comments for hurting Gin's feelings by kicking dirt in its face.

SPIRIT EVOLUTION

The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo took place over the weekend.

I'm zonked but I wanted to quickly share one of the tasting techniques we go through at the show.

In this case I'm pouring Victoria Gin. I've worked with them over the past few years and we've developed this format to (re)introduce people to gin and to remove some of the apprehension about tasting it neat. I've talked before about scent memory and tastings. I understand the hesitation with gin but this fun experiment helps to eliminate anxiety in spirit tasting.

It starts with pouring a single 1 oz portion of spirit into a tasting glass (any small wine or sherry glass can work).

Sniff the gin in short inhales and use a wafting motion if necessary, slightly parting the lips will help (It is the same technique you would use when tasting wine). Most likely much of what you will smell  is alcohol. At ABVs 40% and above it is very difficult to receive any other chemical messages that the spirit is sending through your olfactory senses. But you will probably be able to detect stronger scents like juniper in gin or, perhaps caramel or smoke in whisky.

Take a small taste of the gin, then inhale through both the nose and mouth. Stop and notice what if any flavours you detect. And where in your mouth you can taste and feel the liquid lingering (with Vic Gin, you'll likely taste juniper and citrus in the first round).

For the same reason as above, you will not be able to detect the entire flavour profile of the gin until you bring down the ABV. We do this by adding water...yes, even if we were tasting Scotch! If you are a truly seasoned Whisky drinker I don't need to tell you this.

But, if perhaps you know someone that likes to think of themselves as an expert, (this individual is easily recognized by the constant label dropping, blowhard-ing, low self esteem, nonsense that usually ends in disparaging the brand you've just mentioned liking) says they never dilute their whiskey, please feel free to inform them that they have never in fact, actually tasted their favorite ultra small batch Whisky you've never heard of.

That being said, just one or two drops of water, 1/4 tsp per oz, will be enough to lower the ABV without over diluting the spirit. Now taste it again. Can you taste the difference? What new layers of flavour are you able to detect? Does it change anything else, like mouth feel or heat? (with the Vic Gin, usual comments include increased notes of citrus, a floral quality, licorice and an over all softer feel)

Now slice a strip of citrus zest (I like grapefruit for gin, orange with whisky, lemon for rums and lime with tequila). Twist it over top of the glass and rub a little around the rim. Drop it into the glass and taste again. Likely, the taste of the citrus will be obvious but what should also take place is an enhancement or brightening of some of the flavours you were already tasting.

Tasting the evolution of the spirit in this manner should begin to create scent memories for you that will help you detect and distinguish spirits on their own but also within a cocktail. If you have a clear flavour memory of the gin, you'll know that you are tasting it in harmony with the other ingredients in the drink.

This is a great example of a lightly spirited, classic drink. The flavour profile of the gin allowed to come through but in balance with the other ingredients.





West Coast 75
1 oz Victoria Gin
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup (1 pt water 1 pt sugar)
3 oz sparking wine
1 drop orange bitters (twisted and bitter)



Method
In a shaker add gin, lemon and syrup, fill 3/4 with ice. Shake briefly and strain into flute. Top with chilled sparkling. Drop in bitters, garnish with lemon zest.











Have you ever done a spirit tasting? If you're interested in attending one or just finding out more about it, comment or send us a message.

AFTER THE EQUINOX

It's fall.

It's the end of September and my supply of fresh local ingredients is beginning to diminish. Even though fall just began I'm realizing that there are only few weeks left to take advantage of the late season fruit.

We're often given pears from a family tree but it didn't flower this year. I picked these pears up at the farmer's market. They were a small, sweet variety of yellow Bartlett. Perfect for eating out of hand really, but by using them up in this drink, we'll have an excuse to get more this afternoon.

We've talked about flavour matching in past and here again we have an example of two flavours that are totally in love. Pear and anise, or any licorice flavour will taste great together. Anise, fennel, star anise and licorice root are all distinctly different plants that happen to have similar flavouring. Here I used anise seeds but fennel seed would do just as well.

I tossed the pears in honey, the anise seeds and a pinch of salt and pepper before roasting them. Do yourself a huge favor and use some parchment paper over your pan. You'll want to keep all of the caramelized sugar and juices from the roasting and it would also be a pain to clean.

After the Equinox

1 1/2 oz gin 
1/2 oz absinthe
1/2 oz Lillet 
3/4 oz reserved pear juices or honey 
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2  roasted pear (1/4 cup chopped)












Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, stir before adding ice if using pure honey. Fill 3/4 with ice, shake very vigorously for 20 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with fresh pear slices or lemon zest.

Remember that you can substitute for ingredients you don't have. Dry vermouth (white) will work in this recipe too in place of the Lillet. I do recommend purchasing a bottle as you begin to round out your home bar. It is very useful for tying flavours together.

However, you will probably want the absinthe for this. You could use a licorice liqueur if you had one but you'll have to remove the honey to adjust for the sweetness. I won't be a fair substitute, just one that could be tried.

This recipe might serve as inspiration to add a bottle of absinthe to your collection. If you're just getting stared in home bar tending absinthe can be an intimidating ingredient but it comes up frequently in recipes. You might not be ready to make or drink something like a Sazerac, but having a bottle of absinthe on hand can help in taking the next step towards some of the scarier recipes you've maybe been afraid to try in the past. Make this the first one, you'll be glad you did!

Have you tried making a drink with absinthe yet? Tell us all about it in the comments below.

USE UP YOUR GARDEN TOMATOES

Do you have a friend who's just better at life than you are?

Photo courtesy of Katy Aitkens 

I do.

She's amazing.

The other day she breezed over to my house (looking casually beautiful), with her 18 month and 8 week old darlings. She brought me a huge pile of fresh vegetables and herbs from her insane backyard garden. She managed to plant this while pregnant and has been diligently (but effortlessly) tending to it with her infant and toddler in tow.

Use whatever herbs you have on hand.

My garden is also insane but more so in the way that all of my neighbors thought I was insane for planting a vegetable patch on my front yard, under a giant tree. They were right but I really wanted to build a garden with my son. It turned out to be as much fun as I hoped, even with our (ahem) low yield. We got a few peas and two miniature cucumbers, we had some success with lettuce and our herbs are...alive. We even got one small tomato of our own, it was green and gnarly and hard. It might even have turned into something edible had my son not picked it as a lovely present for his Mother.

On the other hand, the bounty of fresh food that my friend grew was so overwhelming that she needed to share the overflow to avoid wasting. I was the benefactor and I feel it's only right to pay it forward. (she then also found time to Pin some shade garden ideas for me, agh how does she do it?)

This drink is a very literal translation of garden to glass. It takes advantage of the tomatoes and herbs that are so fresh and abundant right now. I love savory cocktails and this one completely hits the mark. A cross between boozy gazpacho and a bloody Mary, it's a little sweet, a little spicy and fully amazing.

These were from the market, I used up all of the gifted fruit before snapping a pic.

The making of this drink is much more like the building of a dish. You need to get kitchen ready for this one. It's quite simple to assemble but some prep time will be necessary. One of the ways I translate cooking into drinks is by using the same types of preparation techniques and common flavour combinations. Without the gin this would look very much like a recipe for gazpacho.

For this recipe I took the entire batch of herbs and buzzed them with a few chili flakes and a half clove of garlic. I do this whenever I have a large bunch of fresh herbs. After, you can douse it in olive oil and place it in a jar or get Pintrest-y and freeze it in ice cube trays for later use. Whatever dish or drink it ends being used for, you'll already have it on hand.

Photo courtesy of Katy Aitkens

Beatrice
1 1/2 oz gin (Victoria)
1/4 oz dry vermouth (Martini)
1/4 oz sweet vermouth (Carpano)
1/2 C fresh tomato, rough chopped
1 tsp honey
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (I used Crystal)
1 tsp fresh herbs, minced (mint, tarragon, thyme)
salt and pepper to taste











Method
Add all ingredients to a Boston shaker, stir briefly to dissolve honey. Fill shaker 3/4 with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until well chilled and tomatoes are broken down. Double strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with fresh herbs and a drizzle of really good olive oil. Yeild 1 drink

I must live under a lucky star, or have the gift of knowing how to surround myself with wonderful people. Were you wondering why this week's photo is a sudden leap ahead? My other dear friend (who is also better than me) happened to be staying with me this weekend, and not only gave me an amazing tutorial, graciously took this week's drink photos for me.

Thank you to all of the terrific ladies in my life but in particular to the two great women who helped in putting this post together.






       

MXMO ~~ COCONUT SHIVER

Lavender
Goat Cheese
Coconut

There they are, my food hates. I feel really exposed right now.
It's taboo to admit to not liking certain flavours in the food world. In fact, on the first day of class, the food writing teacher told us we weren't allowed to have any dislikes if we were going to write about food. There was silence in the room. It hadn't occurred to any of us that writing about food would require us to eat the foods we detest. I have a strong aversion to coconut. It would be so much better if my hate had more group conformity, but I seem to be one of very few people who don't like it.

My worst food hate secret?
I used to hate beer...I can hardly imagine it but I was in my late twenties before I developed a taste for beer.

What worked?
Repeated exposure. The more you taste a food you dislike, the less you hate it and sometimes you'll even grow to love it, as I did with the refreshing and bitter deliciousness of a great beer.
I have tried to use the same approach with other foods and flavours that I dislike, in order to eradicate the quivering, stomach churning revulsion. This also works if you had an evening of over indulgence and the scent memory related to gin or tequila or whatever you had too much of, now brings back a flood of horrifying memories. It's just your brain trying to protect you. Taste a small amount again a few times and you should eventually be relieved (there was a solid decade where I couldn't drink orange juice). You can read more about the studies behind this and other fun facts about food aversions here.
Of course, aversions are not the same as allergies, please be a considerate restaurant patron, for the establishment as well as the sake of diners with very real allergies. Aversion = Ew, gross. Allergy = Hospital, dying. It's a very important distinction.

I tried several different coconut products, but in the end I went with the Coconut Dream. It's hardly my ideal choice, the ingredient list isn't stellar but it's the only one that worked in the drink. I'm happy to have a reason to do something other than farm fresh, but this was another tough draw (MxMo pineapple was difficult too). The whole coconut just didn't have any flavour, the cream had the least added ingredients but was difficult to work with and the can and box were about the same, so I went with box for convenience and texture. I appreciate a good challenge and this falls in line with my other work for packaged foods companies. I have to help them showcase their products, my personal tastes are not relevant.

I'm so Canadian, I didn't even notice it was facing French. Little known fact about English speaking Canadians, we all have certain products for which we use the french name because of the dual labeling.

All that said, this coconut themed MxMo was a tough challenge for me.
I did what people have been doing forever to choke down a food they dislike, I covered it with flavours I do like. In this case a strong flavour match exists between coconut and ginger, a flavour I love. Both of those ingredients have an affinity for lime, which I love. And, lime and ginger match with gin, which I also love. So, how bad could this coconut experiment be?

I've had my torch out again.

Coconut Shiver
1 1/2 oz gin
1 1/2 oz Coconut Dream (unsweetened)
1 oz ginger syrup*
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
2-3 drops Angostura bitters
candied ginger and lime zest for garnish

Method
In a shaker add all ingredients, fill 3/4 with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Double strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with fresh lime zest and candied ginger.















*Ginger Syrup
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
3 inches fresh ginger, sliced
pinch black pepper, fresh cracked
pinch salt

Method
In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat bring sugar and water to the boil, add ginger, salt and pepper. Reduce heat simmer gently for 15 mins. Remove from heat, cool and fine strain. Store in fridge for up to one week.

I have repeatedly exposed myself to coconut and I'm over the shivers but I still don't love it. I can handle it in curries and I won't die if it's in a dessert, although I still don't understand it on a spiritual/emotional level. This drink scored surprisingly high with me, I'd maybe even order one...but probably not.


What are your food hates? Any alcohol you haven't been able to drink? Hated a food and now you love it? Tell me about it in the comments.

As always, a big thank you to MxMo. I appreciate the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. Rated R Cocktails came up with this one. I love Tiki and I love their site.
Here's the round up post. Check out what everyone did. I'm so glad to see other people who also don't love coconut & how they approached. It really turned out great.

DIY G&T 2&3

As jobs go, I'd have to say I'm very fortunate.

I get to wear so many hats as an entrepreneur. The most overtly rewarding of my many assignments (no, not the recipe testing) are the events. I have the great pleasure of doing something creative and celebratory that gives me a platform for interaction (working from home with a two year old on your lap limits this), education and fun. Everyone likes a party, and the gal making the drinks is always popular.

Yes, you can have this at your party!

This past week I was invited to make some drinks for a birthday celebration. The man being feted loves gin and tonic. So much so that I was asked to make two different house tonics for the evening. My inner nerd was very excited. As an added bonus the weather was very cooperative and gin & tonics in their gorgeous backyard were a perfect fit.

If you have already made my Tonic #1, this will give you a chance to play with the technique. If not you can still start here, the method is exactly the same.

I made two simple variations on the recipe that yield drastically different results.

If you love bitter with your bitter, this is the one for you.

G Cubed
2 oz Victoria Gin
1 oz Tonic #2 (see below)
1/2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
3 oz soda water
3 drops orange bitters (twisted & bitter)
grapefruit zest for garnish

Method
In a mixing glass combine gin, syrup and juice, stir to combine. Fill an old fashioned glass with cracked ice, pour in mix, top with soda and drops of bitters. Stir and garnish with fresh grapefruit zest

I  use these small bowls to stay organized

Tonic #2 Grapefruit Ginger
2 C sugar
1 C water
2 grapefruit (juice and zest)
3 inches fresh ginger, sliced 
1 limes (juice & zest)
1 lemons (juice & zest)
2 tbsp cinchona bark
2 tsp citric acid
pinch salt
pinch cracked black pepper








Method
Peel then juice citrus, set aside. In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, add sugar and water, bring to the boil, reduce to low heat, add remaining ingredients, stir gently. Simmer 20 mins, remove from heat, let stand, cool to room temp. Strain syrup through cheesecloth or coffee filter over a fine mesh strainer.
Refrigerate in an air tight glass container for up to 3 weeks.

If you prefer something herbal and savory, this will be your new G&T

Tanglad Tonic
1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire East
1/4 oz Martini Bianco vermouth
1 oz Tonic #3 (see below)
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
3 oz soda water
5 drops Black Pepper Bitters (twisted & bitter)
fresh lemongrass and lime zest for garnish


Method
In a mixing glass combine gin, vermouth, syrup and juice. Stir to combine. Fill and old fashioned glass with cracked ice, pour in mix top with soda and bitters. Stir and garnish with fresh lime and lemongrass.


Tonic #3 Lemongrass Black Pepper
2 C sugar
1 C water
3 stalks fresh lemongrass or 1/2 C dried
2 limes (juice & zest)
2 lemons (juice & zest)
3 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper or 3 tsp ground
2 tbsp cinchona bark
2 tsp citric acid
pinch salt

Method
see above for Tonic #2

A very special thank you for the gents who invited me to help at their party and make these new syrups.

Have you made your own tonic yet? Do you need me for your next party? Leave a comment or send me an email. 
 

COCKTAIL PARINGS

Food pairings for cocktails, it can be done.

Did you come to one of our Victoria Gin tastings at the LCBO? The last two weekends we were out sampling the delicious Canadian gin at locations around the GTA.

One of the messages I tried to impart was that you CAN pair food with cocktails. I admit it can be challenging but when you find one that works it's a revelation. If you've ever had a perfect food and wine pairing you'll know how the right dish can bring the right wine to a new level, this works the same way.






Here we pair a fresh Cucumber Crostini with a classic Gin & Tonic. This recipe match can represent the first in a series of food pairings, a good place to start since it's summer and you will likely be entertaining and probably serving at least a few Gin & Tonics. 









A simple snack, the Cucumber Crostini combines just a few fresh ingredients but creates an amazing pairing. It's the high alcohol level (unlike wine) that can mask the taste of food and one of the reasons why it can be difficult to match cocktails with dishes.

The triple cream cheese acts to counter the high alcohol content in the gin. The cucumber refreshes and matches the herbaceous quality of both the gin and the tonic (try your next martini with a slice of cucumber, you won't be disappointed).

The mint opens up the nasal passages and invites you to use your sense of smell to taste more of the flavours in the food and the drink (one of the reasons mint makes a terrific drink garnish even when there isn't any mint in the drink).

The savoriness of onion is a match for the other flavours in this nibble but also an excellent highlighter for gin (think gibson).

Cucumber Crostini

25 crostini, or other small crackers
200 g triple cream brie, St. Andre or Creme de bourgogne
1/2 English cucumber
2 green/spring onions
1/4 c fresh mint

Slice cucumber, onions and mint very thin. Spread 1 tsp of cheese on each cracker. Layer on cucumber, sprinkle with onion and mint.



Do you have a favorite snack to eat with a Gin & Tonic? Did you try this recipe? Let me know!

WILD LEEKS

The wild leeks are here!

They're available at local farmers market throughout Toronto and if you've never tried them, now's the time. I would describe the flavour as somewhere in between onions and garlic. If you love a savory cocktail (and I count myself among those who do) this will probably change your world.  This week we have a simple recipe for pickling your leeks and using them to make a Wild Leek Gibson. I included some footage and photos from a day of foraging a few years ago.

If you want to bypass the market and forage your own leeks (it's really fun) you'll need to know what you're looking for. A wild leek or ramp has two lovely green petals with a pink stem and white bulb on the bottom.  We were very lucky to have access to an 100 acre property about an hour north of Toronto, that is covered in leeks in the spring.

Did I mention the spiders? I did. I'll say it again, so many huge spiders!
Even if you buy them at the market you'll need to wash them very thoroughly. They won't have any pesticides, which is great but slugs and spiders love to live on the leeks. The mud clings to them as well.

Trim the greens and buzz them up with some olive oil and salt. Freeze them in muffin tins lined with cling film. Throw them in soups or on pasta. The bulbs are what we're after here.

When pickled, these leeks make a delicious Gibson. They are easy to make (recipe below) and worth canning, they are very pricey at the market so you'll want them to last.

Like many classic cocktails, this drink is very simple but so tasty.  

Wild Leek Gibson 
1 3/4 oz gin
1/4 oz dry vermouth
1 pickled wild leek
*dirty, add 1 dash pickling liquid

Method
In a mixing glass add gin and vermouth , (*& pickling liquid), fill 3/4 with ice, stir to chill, strain into a martini glass, garnish with leek











Pickled Wild Leeks
4 C leeks, trimmed bulbs only
2 C cider vinegar
1 C white vinegar
3/4 c sugar
3 tbsp pickling salt
3 tbsp pickling spice (buy one premixed or make your own)

Method
In a large pot add all ingredients excepting leeks, bring to the boil, add leeks, reduce heat and simmer five minutes. Pack in HOT sterilized jars, simmer in water bath until sealed, cool.

These instructions assume a familiarity with canning. If you've never canned before you'll need more information. I lost some batches of fruit when I first started, I was sad, so very sad. Here are a few links for canning basics to help you avoid the same mistakes.

http://www.canningbasics.com//

http://www.simplebites.net/canning-101-the-basics/

http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/step_by_step___your_guide_to_home_canning/32.php


Have you tried our leeks at an event in the past? How does making your own compare?

G&T DIY

Have you ordered a Gin and Tonic lately? Surprised to get a golden, sparkly glass of deliciousness instead of your usual? The recreation of simple, popular drinks is on the rise, and house made tonic is becoming the new standard.

In the case that you love a G&T but are unaware of where that unique flavour comes from, it's Quinine. In most common grocery store brands an artificial flavouring is used. Natural quinine comes from Cinchona Bark, which can be found at Herbalists and natural stores everywhere. It's also what gives tonic its bitterness. The zip and tartness come from the use of citric acid, which can be found at bulk food stores, and works as a natural preservative.

*The drink hasn't been stirred to show the contrast in colour. I also used a gin that happens to be yellow adding to the effect. 

If you want to try it at home, it's much easier than you might think. You just need a little time to shop and some patience. It's totally worth the effort, plus you get to customize it to your taste.

This will serve as a base formula that you can play with. Try adding more lime or less citric acid. Go crazy and add some lemongrass... If you're unsure what flavours you favor, try buying some high end tonics like Fever-Tree or Q Tonic, when there isn't any HFCS you can really taste the quinine and the other more subtle flavours.

*Nerd Alert* The sun has returned and while I encourage you to try this, I also encourage you to save making it for a rainy day and serve it to friends on a sunny one... 

Tonic Syrup 1

2 C sugar
1 C water
2 limes (juice & zest)
2 lemons (juice & zest)
2 tbsp cinchona bark
2 tsp citric acid
pinch salt
pinch cracked black pepper

Method
Peel then juice citrus, set aside. In a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat, add sugar and water, bring to the boil, reduce to low heat, add remaining ingredients, stir gently. Simmer 20 mins, remove from heat, let stand, cool to room temp. Strain syrup through cheesecloth or coffee filter over a fine mesh strainer.
Refrigerate in an air tight glass container for up to 3 weeks.

Gin and Tonic 1

2 oz gin
1 oz tonic syrup
1/4 oz fresh lime juice
3 oz soda water

Method
In the bottom of an empty highball glass add gin, syrup and lime, stir to combine. Fill glass with ice top with soda, gently stir to combine being careful not to flatten the bubbles. If you are a millionaire you may proceed with a lime garnish as well but it's going to be a tough call, limes are going to be very expensive this year.