Gin. Cointreau/Curacao/Triple Sec. Lemon Juice. Soda Water (optional).
This is a classic sour drink, and one of the precursors to almost all others – most directly the Margarita (margarita is Spanish for the daisy flower).
This is a shaken drink – so, unbelievably, you’re going to need a shaker. If you don’t have one you can use a drinks thermos, but frankly it’s a pain in the arse and if you want to make drinks at home just buy yourself a damn shaker.
1. Anyhoo, into your shaker, place (per drink):
50 ml (2 parts) Gin.
25ml (1 Part) Lemon Juice.
25ml (1 Part ) Curacao/Cointreau/Whatever.
As much as ice as you can fit.
2. Shake vigorously, until the shaker starts to frost up. Someone once told me a ten second shake gives you an ideal twenty percent dilution. I have no idea if this is true, but I still find myself counting to ten when I shake.
3. Now, ideally we’re going to ‘double strain’ this into a cocktail glass (or whatever you want to drink it out of) – that is we keep the ice in the shaker AND pass the liquid through a tea strainer before it hits the glass.
4. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Some Notes:
Gin – Pictured here is Gordon’s (a classic London Dry style). These days, with a billion gins on the market, you’ve likely got your own opinions on your own favourites – so use whatever you want. A London Dry style is sure fire – anything weirder could be great, could be awful. That’s for you to experiment.
Lemon Juice – Fresh is always best, and if you’re making it at home you’ll likely have time to juice your citrus per drink. However any prepackaged citrus options are fine for home use if this suits you better – though you would likely taste a difference if they were side by side.
Curacao – Pictured is a 1960s Vintage Grand Marnier Cordon Jaune. While this is all very interesting and wanky, it is by no means necessary – especially if you want folk to talk to you at parties. Any dry orange liqueur is fine.