Gin Fizz

Last week I did a cocktail that had lemon and orange juice in it because the citrus juices are wonderful mixers for the summer time. So, I thought why not continue the trend this week; especially since it’s still summer, it’s still hot, and these citrus cocktails are wonderful refreshers. So, today I’m doing a Gin Fizz.

If you think the Fizz sounds like a Gin Rickey or a Tom Collins you’d be right. Though if you look at the way they’re made you’ll see the differences. A Rickey is made with lime juice instead of lemon, and a Collins is served over ice and stirred instead of shaken. Whichever one you choose though, all three are great summer time cocktail choices.

The Gin Fizz was created in the late 1800’s. Although there’s no direct record of which bartender was nice enough to whip up this cocktail, Jerry Thomas wrote a little appendix to his 1862 bartender’s guide in 1876 that included the Fizz. Why would he write an appendix 14 years later? To include all the “new” drinks that had been created over the past several years. But the Gin Fizz wasn’t the only drink listed in this appendix. The Silver Fizz (made with egg white) and the Golden Fizz (made with an egg yolk) were listed too, proving that the Fizz was definitely here to stay.

You know, it’s funny: I keep saying I’m not a big gin fan, yet I keep discovering (and loving) these classic gin and citrus cocktails. So maybe I need to rethink my aversion. Maybe I am a gin fan… as long as it’s mixed with one or two types of citrus juice.

Gin Fizz

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. gin
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• dash of gomme syrup
• club soda

Directions:

1. Pour the gin, lemon juice and gomme syrup in a shaker and shake vigorously for 1 minute. Strain into an old fashioned glass and top with club soda. Garnish with a wedge of lemon and serve.