The Gimlet is one of those classic cocktails that every bartender should know how to make. Ignore Betty’s fondness for vodka gimlets on Mad Men: the gin gimlet is the only gimlet worth drinking.
Image from Examiner.com
Now, gin gimlets are often made with classic mixer Rose’s Lime Juice. But I am a cheapskate. If I can make a cocktail with what I already have on hand without buying a new ingredient, I will. So I set out to find a gimlet recipe that used fresh limes and simple syrup, and finally hit the jackpot with an old Wall Street Journal recipe. The recipe says you can use anywhere from a quarter ounce to a half ounce of simple syrup, but I found that two teaspoons was the perfect amount. (NB: I used Hendrick’s in this. Other gins may need different amounts of simple syrup.)
Fresh Lime Gimlet
2 oz gin
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
2 tsp simple syrup
Combine ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker; shake until cold and strain into a chilled glass. Serve with a lime wedge.
For fun variations, substitute ginger syrup or elderflower syrup for plain simple!
PC, as a fellow cheapskate and gin lover, I really appreciate that this recipe has just three ingredients:) Hooray! Looks like an excellent summer drink.
PS — speaking of gin versus vodka, did you see the NYTimes article on new gins? This line cracked me up: “Then the ground trembled and the sky darkened. Along came the devil, I mean vodka, and gin was forsaken….” Your Betty Draper crack reminded me of it.