Thursday, March 06, 2008

Gin and Summer

Ok, when I wrote my post about my love for whiskey I totally neglected to mention my love for Gin. I buy one bottle a summer, and once again it's the biggest bottle, because it generally lasts me all summer. I stock up on limes and tonic water, and i have a special glass.

My love affair with the Gin and Tonic started one summer's day in 1995 when I went for drinks on the Moshulu. The Moshulu is a ship in Philadelphia that is supposedly haunted. They restored it and turned it into a cafe and restaurant. And bar. My ex and I met a friend of mine there and spent the day drinking gin and soaking up the sun. As of that day I was hooked.

My very next favorite Gin experience was when Nina and I went to the beach (in fact, I believe there is a photo of my beach legs on her blog). There's a restaurant there (and I'm not telling you where) where you can sit on the pier and eat oysters and drink Gin and Tonics and feed the pigeons hush puppies. The hush puppies were fabulous. We ate like savages and drank in the sun and watched the college boys run around chasing girls. It was an absolute blast. Did I ever mention how much I adore Nina? I would walk on hot coals for her simply because she drove that first time and landed us with a parking ticket.

My next happiest Gin experience doesn't even involve tonic. Nina and I took another beach trip with two other girls, and one of them brought something wonderful. She took a 2 liter bottle of ginger ale and turned it into a Tom Collins. The gals in the back seat drank out of it while I drove this time (yes, open container, shut it), and when we got to the beach we had a disallowed substance in our cooler. If I recall correctly we also had Barbara's Blue Cheese snacks and some candy. I got the recipe for a Tom Collins from the girl who brought it, and in my memory that was the only summer I bought more than one bottle of Gin. I also bought a 10 pound bag of sugar. Want the recipe?

One Jigger of Gin
One Tablespoon Sugar
One Tablespoon Lemon Juice
Fill with ice and ginger ale

Naturally while I was pregnant I couldn't drink Gin, so my summer was basically an unhappy one. I made myself "virgin" Tom Collinses, but according to everything I found on Google tonic water is not good for developing fetuses. Dammitall. So I had to wait until last summer, when I finally got to sip again the lovely, wonderful, juniper taste of Gin. And now that the weather is warming up I'm looking very forward to that day in May when I'll hit the ABC store and pick up this year's bottle.

9 comments:

Dagny said...

OH, Gin, how I love thee.

I had also totally forgotten about my love of gin. Probably cause I also associate them with summer.

Thanks for the stories. Wish I had been there!

:)

Em said...

You two are really cute. . .you and Nina.

I'm not a big fan of Gin. I drank my fair share of liquor in college but I'm really a beer and wine person nowadays. After your description, though, I'm thinking I ought to give it another try.

Cyn said...

Bombay Sapphire = love

LizLSB said...

Blogger ate my comment. I was saying that although I seem to love alcohol, gin just isn't for me. Tastes like kerosene smells. We can still be drinking buddies though, because I'll have my vodka martini with 2 giant olives while you drink your gin and tonic. :)

jennyquarx said...

Fun stories. Now I want Gin. Damn you. :)

Nina said...

MMM those were good tines. I believe that might have been the day Becker called you, me, and Jamie the axis of evil. Yay for gin.

Woodrow said...

The gin and tonic with lime is my favorite summer cocktail. Yummy. I admire your restraint, one bottle girl.

Kelly said...

Wonderful stories ... I love gin! I've never had a Tom Collins before, I'm definitely going to try it out. I bought a bottle of Cuervo Black the other week ... was so excited to try it. It sucks! Can't believe I bought that when I could've had a brand new bottle of Bombay Sapphire.

Julie said...

If y'all are reading this... you need to know that you should NEVER use top shelf for a drink like a Tom Collins. Why waste excellent booze by mixing it with ginger ale when you can sip it alone or with tonic? The next shelf down will suffice.

And Kelly, I'm glad for the report on the Cuervo Black. I was tempted. Now I'll stay away.

Liz- You can sit with us and drink anytime. :)

Now I want to have a deck party this summer with all of you here. Waaaaaa.