beholden to the gimlet - leo’s tipple
when i think of gin, i think a gimlet. thanks to some creative thinking british sailors, this classic tipple was born. the story goes that in order to escape scurvy while at sea, the sailors had to consume large amounts of lime. the addition of gin made the lime more palitable and the rest is history. the gimlet is the original health drink! of course i had to adulterate this perfect yet modest recipe and add all sorts of crazy shiz…. the most unusual being i think the addition of rose geranium leaves.
geranium is ruled by sun and falls under the sign of leo. this plant thrives in hot, dry soil. if they don’t get it, they’ll not flower. and if you give them a tad too much water, they’ll quickly drown. i find the bloom of the geranium to be spectacular because of it’s color. be it red, pink, orange, or even white - the petals are always brilliant, just like leo. i have lots of geranium plants sitting on my window ledge. they’re sun hogs. again, like attention-loving leo! this interesting plant, like mint, comes in a multitude of scents ranging from lemon to cinnamon to mint to rose. and the latter is the one used in this cocktail, imparting a very subtle, but pleasant smell and flavour. i’d tell you to garnish with a geranium flower to really impress the lofty lion, but i’ve heard they are poisonous. stick with an orange slice instead!
BEHOLDEN (rose geranium & orange flower gimlet)
1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz fresh orange juice
1 1/2 oz organic raw simple syrup
1/4 oz orange flower water
5 rose geranium leavesmuddle geranium leaves with orange flower water and lime until leaves are macerated. add gin and simple syrup. shake in ice filled cocktail shaker and strain into martini glass.
NOTE: be sure to store flower waters in the fridge or they will go rancid.
Wow! It is absolutely unusual, but not for me… I have idiosyncrasy of heranium. I hate it!!!
Some words about me for you investigation. I am Pishces, 29 y.o.
My MxMo choice -
http://www.scienceofdrink.com/2007/11/12/golden-dawn/
Comment by scomorokh — November 14, 2007 @ 3:47 am
hi there scomorokh! sorry about your problem with geraniums : ) pisces are the drunks of the zodiac. i think you have found your calling with SCIENCE OF DRINK.
Comment by Gwen — November 14, 2007 @ 7:48 am
Loves me a gimlet.I am proud to say I have been scurvy-free since the 80’s.
Comment by asanamama — November 14, 2007 @ 9:01 am
congratulations!
Comment by Gwen — November 14, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
Hmmm. I had it in my head that geraniums are poisonous…or maybe that’s just what my mother told me as a child to keep me from eating the flora?
Comment by Marleigh — November 15, 2007 @ 5:13 am
no, your mom was right! the regular variety (non-scented) are not edible. and yes, i read also online that they are poisonous…
Comment by Gwen — November 15, 2007 @ 7:24 am