(Cocktail Recipe) The Gimlet

As I was preparing my Singapore Sling yesterday I realized the number of ingredients required may be more that some of you have in your liquor cabinet. Today I give you another classic cocktail to beat the heat. One with less ingredients and more simplicity, The Gimlet. This cocktail gets it's name from: Gimlet-a hand tool used to drill small holes. That sounds appropriate to me. While the cocktail is artistically simple in taste like many other classic cocktails there is no Highlander. There can't be only one. It's recipe is debated and even the types of ingredients are argued about across the internet, by cocktail drinkers and in books. The simple recipe is:

Combine in a shaker.

2oz GIN (Dry, Plymouth or Old Tom)
2oz Rose's Lime Juice (Rose's is specified)
1 TSP powdered sugar or simple syrup

Shake thouroughly and pour into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime round.

That's it. Simple, right? Not so fast. For classical cocktail argument there's debate about the lime juice. Use Rose's or Fresh. Which Gin? Dry, Plymouth or the sweeter Old Tom. Top with club soda? If you do that you have made a different drink, The Gin Rickey. For new fangled recipe tinkerers, there's substitute Vodka for the Gin, add mint, or add cucumber or other vegtable or fruit. The list goes on. Connor and Kurgan will fight indefinitely. As a spectator to the epic battle I can say that as far as I'm concerned the above recipe IS the Gimlet. If you alter the recipe to something you like better please call it something else, the (whatever you add) Gimlet. If you alter it so far that your drink doesn't capture the spirit of the Gimlet then make up a new name. This is a simple cocktail. It's flavor is balanced and refreshing. It dosen't need complication. I do encourage you to try the original Gimlet to get the jist of the drink, but please alter away to make it something you like. I like my drinks more sour, so I'll add less sugar and more lime, Laura prefers sweeter drinks so she'll add a dash of Cherry Heering or fresh cherries. Try it, then make it your own, but try and guage when and if you lose the spirit of the flavor of the the original. Whatever you come up with based on this cocktail It will be a great way to beat the heat.