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Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and most delicious cocktails ever.
But what does all this have to do with gin, I hear you ask? Well, there is a special variation of this drink for gin lovers and, just like the city it was born in, it was so good, they named it twice. It’s called (for obvious reasons), the Gin-Gin Mule.
The beautiful “love child” of a Moscow Mule and a Mojito
Invented in New York in the year 2000, this delicious drink is the beautiful love child of a Moscow Mule and a Mojito, so it has good genes! But this is more than just a change of booze. The subtle difference is that it substitutes gin for vodka and adds the muddled mintiness of a Mojito to create a gorgeous taste and flavour combination that, in my opinion, far exceeds the beauty of its two elderly parents.
Just imagine this – a muddle of sugary mintiness at the bottom, offset by the spiciness and bubbles of a freshly opened bottle of ginger beer (we recommend Fentimans or Fever Tree) with a little citrus tartness to give it a refreshing edge and a big blast of a decent london dry gin such as Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire.
The serve
Traditionally, a Moscow Mule is served in a small, handbeaten copper mug, but this drink works almost as well in a highball glass or a tumbler. But the copper mug is better for sure. Not only does it look good but it adds a bit of novelty to your regular drinking approach. And apparently, drinking from a cold copper mug maintains and even increases the bubbliness of the ginger beer, ensuring that your drink will be sparkling every time. You can pick up a set of four of these beautiful, hand beaten copper mugs for less than £20 and guarantee that the sparkle will remain right up to the last drop.
The verdict
Wow, Gin-Gin Mule is a great drink and its parents should be proud. No wonder this quickly became a contemporary classic when it was first introduced to customers at New York’s Pegu Club 20 years ago. Deliciously spicy and citrusy at the same time, the fresh, muddled mint takes it to another level altogether. We cannot recommend this cocktail highly enough, but make sure you use freshly opened, high quality ginger beer to make sure the fizz is truly fizzing!
We all like a cocktail. But 200 years before the term was invented, we had to resort to other creative ways of getting our alcohol fix. In those days, there were no cocktail glasses, fancy recipes or bartender’s tools in those days – so they turned to punch! In its earliest days, in the 18th century, a typical punch would contain ingredients that were considered exotic for the time. Often, these would include fruits that seem normal to us now, but which were extremely rare and expensive three centuries ago. These included rare treats such as oranges from Asia, fragrant spices from the East and sugar, all the way from the Caribbean, which became the perfect match for the strong flavours of rum and brandy. The trouble was that rum and brandy were very expensive. On the other hand, English gin was increasingly affordable. It wasn’t long before gin became recognised as a better value concoction than some of its contemporary spirits and that was when it entered the mainstream world of punch.
A drink for the middle classes
The relative accessibility and affordability of gin quickly made punch more accessible to the burgeoning English middle classes. However, strangely enough, the 18th century reveals no published gin punch recipes at all. According to a contemporaneous journal, “a hornful of punch should be administered to cattle in a bid to cure their distemper”. This is a clear indication that in those early days punch was initially considered something of low quality and not of much use to actual humans. However, towards the end of the 18th century, reports of its human medicinal qualities began to appear alongside suggestions that it could help to treat a variety of ailments. Gin Punch was soon believed to be a cure-all for everything from dissolving kidney stones, to curing Berri-Berri. It was also (bizarrely) considered a great way to encourage toxins to leave the body efficiently, in the form of sweat.
1776: the punch revolution
In 1776, at around the same time as the American’s were plotting their revolution, diarist James Boswell wrote (after a particularly good night on the town) that he: “drank rather too much gin punch. It was a new experience to me and I liked it much”. By the end of the 18th century gin punch had elevated itself from its humble position at the heart of the local gin palace, into something more fitting. This elevation made it suitable for the more sophisticated and rarified atmosphere of London’s gentleman’s clubs. Stalwarts such as the Garrick or Limmer’s Hotel became the places that finally established punch as a popular and respectable, middle class drink. In fact, one of the first gin recipes at the turn of the 18th century, sounds rather nice (but very strong): – two pints of gin, oranges, lemons, orange sugar syrup and white wine.
Punch goes upmarket
A few decades later, London’s Garrick Club added a new twist to its own “house punch” – soda water. The original Garrick Club Punch recipe called for:
– half a pint of gin, lemon peel, lemon juice, sugar, maraschino, a pint and a quarter of water and two bottles of iced soda water.
It didn’t take very long for its fame to spread around London and before you know it, punches and punch bowls were popping up everywhere. Over time, these punches evolved into more complex single serve variants which were popularised by Americans in the 1870s. They gave them personal names such as the John Collins and the classic Tom Collins. By the end of the century, punch had been truly established in English culture and English Dry Gin had become a mainstay of many of the best punches. But why is punch served in a punch bowl?
Why is punch served in a bowl?
It’s simple, really. As strong punch loosened inhibitions, it helped reserved Englishmen come out of their shell. It helped them to add a little well-lubricated wit to social gatherings, political discussions and business occasions. Drinking punch was always a fabulous social occasion and gathering around the punch bowl ended up becoming the popular focus for many a high spirited evening, loosening inhibitions and encouraging conviviality, conversation and sharing in a way that had never been seen before.
From simple punch bowl to sophisticated cocktails
These days, punches have fallen out of fashion, but that’s a real shame since these simple-to-make, sociable drinks can be a lot of fun. And they can be deceptively strong. Over the years, people’s tastes evolved once more and the simple punch bowl morphed slowly into the next big alcoholic fad in the 19th century – cocktails. Bartenders began to mix drinks to suit their specific customers and the approach to alcohol became increasingly bespoke and sophisticated. Now, the cocktail is definitely king – of that there is no doubt. But there are still some great gin punches out there – and it would be a great shame to let this fabulously simple tradition die out. Check out our recent article on a classic New Year’s Eve punch. And here’s another variant on the gin punch for when the weather gets a bit better.
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
Smoky ice cubes are indeed a thing. And they’re so easy to make. You could go all out and spend a day preparing a fire, smoking the wood and delicately infusing the ice. Or, you could simply buy a small bottle of liquid smoke and add a few drops to your ice cubes. Bingo!
This little hack is a gift from us to you – we know you’re busy and who has the time to do this from scratch? As the ice cubes inevitably melt, your drink becomes infused with a gentle smokiness that can enhance strong, complex cocktails such as a Negroni or a gin Old Fashioned. It’s a little magic trick that will impress your friends. For more inspiration, check out our free Top 10 gin bartending hacks.
Here is a great recipe that will draw out the smoky flavour from the ice to really lift your cocktail out of the ordinary.
Ingredients:
10-15 smoky ice cubes
1 lime (cut into 8 wedges)
90ml of gin (citrus gins work best)
Premium tonic water
Method:
Squeeze the juice of two lime wedges per glass
Fill the glass with the remaining lime wedges and fill to top with smokey ice cubes
Add the gin and top up with tonic
Garnish with half of the thin lime slice and serve immediately
Looking for a delicious new cocktail to get 2021 off to a great start? Then, look no further. Introducing the Queen Bee cocktail – a beautiful smooth and healthy gin cocktail that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Silky smooth blend of citrus and honey (with a coffee edge)
Mixed from a smooth blend of gin, orange juice and orange blossom honey syrup, this rich, silky drink is stunning with a premium tonic water, but it also works really well with a Fever Tree elderflower tonic water. Plus, if you’re feeling creative, you can top this off with a coffee bean sugar glass edge for a touch of exotic intrigue. This gorgeous cocktail delivers a beautiful balance of citrus, floral and pine notes all laid over a sweet underlay of natural honey. This recipe delivers 2 units of alcohol and around 200Kcal per glass. It also delivers 9.6% ABV – low enough to have a few of these before things get too messy. We think this could be the perfect cocktail for a healthy and delicious weekend buzz? Why not knock one up and decide for yourself – it couldn’t be easier!
Congratulations. You are a survivor. You’ve just made it through one of the most challenging years in living memory and that in itself is quite an achievement. It’s been tough, many of us have not been so lucky. We’ve been separated from our families, isolated from our communities and normal life has been put on hold until this virus has been beaten. So, in a year where it doesn’t seem like we have a lot to celebrate, there is one thing we know we can raise a glass of gin punch to – the start of 2021!
Keeping your spirits up
And while we recognise that this New Year’s Eve will be a slightly more modest affair than usual and the big parties have been put on hold, there is still every reason to keep your spirits up with a few gin-based drinks. We’ve already introduced you to the delights of the Spanish 75 (a twist on the French 75 using cava instead of champagne for a smoother, better balanced drink).
Get the party going with a gin punch!
We also mentioned that we’d be sharing a gin punch recipe for New Year’s Eve that is easy to make, deceptively strong and gets the party off to a quick start. Plus, it has the added advantage of eliminating the need to constantly go back and make fresh drinks. Just make a big batch in advance and dip in whenever you need a refill. So, after some exhaustive research, here’s a really easy and delicious gin punch recipe that is guaranteed to get the party going. With only around 200 Kcals per glass, this recipe will serve 8 people and can be rustled up in as little as 10 minutes. It is fruity, spicy and strong and the gentle heat of the ginger beer along with the sweetness of the pomegranate gives it a lovely, warming winter feel – just right for New Year’s Eve.
Easy to make, easy to scale!
Plus, it can easily be scaled up by doubling (or tripling) the ingredients. All you need is a bigger bowl. We think this recipe lends itself to a Twisted Nose gin. This Hampshire-gin is distilled with the gentle warmth of locally grown watercress for a little extra peppery depth. We think this is the perfect way to dial up the flavour this New Year’s Eve – and we’re pretty sure that after a few of these, you’ll be dancing at midnight. Just make sure you’re socially distanced!!
Happy 2021, gin lovers – you deserve the best!
Gin punch recipe
Ingredients:
400g of gin (Twisted Nose will work well with this)
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
Here’s hoping that you’ve had a wonderful lockdown Christmas and that your stocking was packed full of gin. For many of us, it was the strangest Christmas ever with restrictions stopping us from seeing the ones we love. With all the new rules in place, it also meant that we were deprived of some of those amazing Christmas atmospherics. The Christmas carols, Salvation Army bands and buskers that normally remind us it’s Christmas were mostly silent. The frenzy of shopping moved from the high street to the internet. And the general Christmas frenzy was a much quieter and more modest affair. Yet, despite all of that, we really hope you managed to find the true spirit of Christmas and share the holidays with the ones you love most.
A year to remember or a year to forget?
Let’s face it, this was a year that many of us would rather forget. But now that Christmas is well and truly behind us and the big red man has headed back up North for a well-deserved rest, we turn our attention once again towards New Year’s Eve. No major fireworks displays this year, no multi-media spectaculars beaming extravagant lights and music across the world. London’s display has been cancelled and Barcelona’s curfew means that nobody will be celebrating by the city’s magic fountain this year. Auld Lang Syne will be sung indoors in small groups. However, the Spanish tradition of stuffing your mouth with twelve grapes in the minute before midnight will continue. Most of us will be watching the new year roll in via our TV sets. But fear not.
We’ll drink to that…
Whether you’re raising a glass to see the back of 2020 or toasting a brighter and better 2021, you’ll need something to drink. Preferably something involving gin and cava. A wonderful gin cocktail. So, in a tribute to our twin cities of London and Barcelona, here’s a neat gin cocktail little recipe that combines the Britishness of London Dry Gin with the sparkling effervescence of Catalan cava. This year, why not give this easy recipe a whirl. It’s the perfect way to see the year out. It’s also a really easy and refreshing gin cocktail for that slightly strange period between Christmas and New Year. We recommend a good, standard gin such as Beefeater. Or, if you want to mix things up a bit, you could try Hendrick’s Midsomer Solstice for a more spicy drink. And this recipe also cheekily replaces champagne with a Spanish cava such as Freixenet, which works well to balance the acidity of the lemon juice.
Where Barcelona meets London: the Spanish 75
So, here it is – the Spanish 75. A gin cocktail that is a great value and a delicious alternative to a classic French 75 cocktail with a little Spanish twist, gin and cava. We hope you enjoy it and that next year will exceed all our expectations. And please stay tuned. We’ll be publishing some really neat Gin Punch recipes on New Year’s Eve which you can mix up using ingredients you probably already have at home. So, tune in on the 31st for some easy instructions on how to get your party going!
Ingredients:
1/2 oz of lemon juice
1 oz of Beefeater gin
1/2 oz of simple syrup
4 oz of cava
Method:
Stir the simple syrup, lemon juice and gin into an ice filled mixing glass
Strain into a champagne flute
Top up with cava
Garnish with a lemon slice
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
If you’re looking for a simple, festive cocktail to get you into the Christmas spirit for 2020, then look no further. Introducing the Pomegranate Gin Sling.
This drink is easy to make, easy to drink and easy on the eye – what more could you want to help you through the holiday season. In my family, we always rustle up a few of these to get things going on Christmas eve. They’re quite strong, so they get you feeling frisky fast. Normally it only takes one or two of these to get me going before I start hitting up the other Christmas booze.
What will you need?
All you’ll need is some gin (I reckon you probably have some handy), some pomegranate juice (you could substitute with cranberry juice if you prefer), a little lime juice to add some citrus zest and some simple syrup to keep it sweet. You’ll also need some large ice cubes and a cocktail shaker, jamjar or beaker to blend the mixture smoothly. This drink is a great Christmas ice breaker and guaranteed to get you all in a festive mood. And don’t forget to leave a glass out for Santa in the evening – I understand he’s partial to a good cocktail along with his mince pies (although I’m not sure what the fine is for being drunk in charge of a sleigh!)
Ingredients (2 servings):
¼ cup of gin
¼ cup chilled pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon simple syrup
1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice
8 pomegranate seeds
2 lime slices
Foto de Jessica Lewis en Pexels
Method:
Combine the gin, pomegranate juice, simple syrup and lime juice
Pour ice into 2 glasses, pour mixture over ice and stir
Add 4 pomegranate seeds into each glass
Garnish with lime slices
Top tip: if you prefer something a bit spicier, try using this recipe and then pouring the mixture into a tall glass, before topping it up with ginger ale or ginger beer. Merry Christmas!!
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
The nights are dark and long, the summer feels like a different century and it’s way too cold to be thinking about a frozen cocktail. But there’s still gin to be drunk.
So, what do you do on those cold evenings when you’re huddled around the fire trying to stay warm. What’s the drink you want to put into your flask and sip on while watching your kids play winter sports or while walking in the woods with you family and friends? These are the moments when you want to reach for a warming, invigorating hot drink, spiked with a little booze.
Most of the time, when the words “hot toddy” are used they are referring to a whisky-based drink. But, since the gin revolution, all that has changed forever. Gin is now available in both hot and cold. This easy- to- make recipe warms you up from the inside out and it’s the perfect way to bring out those winter flavours of honey, orange, booze and cinnamon sticks. We recommend using a complex orange gin for this such as Tanqueray Sevilla (paid link), Silent Pool citrus gin (paid link) or Tarquins (paid link).
Plus, this is one of the easiest drinks you could ever make, packed with alcoholic flavour and wintery spice. And you can knock one of these up in less time than it takes to make a cup of tea!
TOP TIP: great for breakfast before (or after) a long winter’s walk. Just put it into a plain coffee mug and nobody will ever know!
Hot Gin Toddy recipe
Ingredients:
1 tbsp of honey
1 oz gin
¼ cup of hot water
Juice from 1 orange
Cinnamon stick
Orange slice
Method:
Pour gin, honey and orange juice into a large mug
Top up with hot water
Stir honey in until dissolved
Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange slice
And now, enjoy your Gin Toddy!
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
We seem to have developed a bit of a monkey theme this week. So in that spirit, here’s the bizarre story behind one of the world’s most famous gin cocktails – the Monkey Gland.
This classic cocktail was first mixed up at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Let’s take a step back in time to the 1920s, when legendary bartender Harry MacElhone was starting to build a reputation for himself in the heart of Paris. He was well known for mixing up fabulous American style cocktails for his glamorous roster of international clients. In 1922, in a clever marketing move, he thought he’d collect his best recipes and publish them in a book of cocktails which he called “Harry’s ABC of mixing cocktails”. The book contained one particular drink with a strange name and a bizarre story.
Building the Monkey gland legend
The art of cocktail making isn’t simply about mixing the right ingredients, there is also the little matter of building a reputation. Harry knew that and concocted a wickedly strong cocktail by mixing classic London Dry gin with a little orange juice and a few dashes of Grenadine. To top it off, he added the final detail – 3 dashes of high strength Absinthe to guarantee an out of this world experience. He mixed it all up, shook it with ice and poured it into a Martini glass. It was delicious, but he knew he had to have a name for it if he was to create a classic cocktail. He called it the Monkey Gland – and he took inspiration from a bizarre source.
Monkey glands, Viagra and a Russian scientist
In those pre-Viagra days, a Russian scientist called Serge Voronoff was experimenting with ways of maintaining men’s “staying power” and he hit on a very strange technique. He grafted monkey glands onto men in a bid to boost their virility. While this was a bit extreme (and there is no evidence that this technique actually worked) Harry was inspired. He knew that sex sells, so in honour of Prof. Voronoff, he decided to name his new drink “The Monkey Gland” with all the promises and hope that a stimulating drink like this brings to men of a certain age.
It has been a bartender’s classic ever since. While we can’t vouch for the medical benefits of this drink, we can highly recommend it for its flavour and strength. For the prefect pour, we recommend making it with a good, classic London Dry such as Sipsmith [paid link].
Handle with care
Beware of the Absinthe – it’s not to everyone’s taste, but it packs a real alcoholic punch, so handle with care.
Bottoms up!
Here’s our classic recipe for a traditional Monkey Gland:
Ingredients:
3 dashes of absinthe
3 dashes of Grenadine
⅓ orange juice
⅔ London Dry gin
Method:
Shake well (over ice) and stir into cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange slice or a twist of burnt orange peel for a little extra flavour. Enjoy!
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
Halloween is here and this evening, it is very likely that you will get a knock on the door. When you answer it, you will probably be confronted with a child dressed as a witch, or a famous superhero or even a headless ghost. They will charm you, and you will fall for their charms. And then, they will demand candy in return for not messing up your front doorstep. This has become the modern Halloween tradition that we all recognise. But Halloween is not just a contemporary combination of a fancy dress party and a sugar-rush. It is an ancient festival, dedicated to remembering the dead and is thought to have evolved from ancient Celtic harvest festivals with pagan roots.
From pagan roots to hobby horses
Over the years, we have become familiar with the most recent incarnations of those ancient rituals. These include pumpkin carving, costume parties, telling scary ghost stories and generally spooking people out. But before the current tradition of trick or treat began, earlier versions were taking place. From as early as the 16th century, the tradition of mumming was common in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. People went from house to house exchanging songs and verse for food. In those days, they would dress up as the souls of the dead. At around the same time, over in England, a man with a hobby horse led youths from house to house reciting verses with pagan overtones. And in Scotland people in masks went from door to door threatening to do mischief if they were not welcomed.
Turnips, pumpkins and cross-dressing Scots
Fast forward to the late 19th and early 20th century and it appears that the youth of Glamorgan and Orkney went for a bit of cross-dressing. In the 20th century, the pranks became more common in England as well and naughty kids would hollow out turnips and carve grotesque faces in them to use as lanterns. These in turn became the Jack ‘O’ Lanterns that we now carve out of pumpkins. Echoes of these roots can still be glimpsed in our 21st century version of Halloween. And given the year we’re in, strangers knocking on your doors in masks may have a particular resonance.
Manning the barricades
So, if you’re planning on manning the barricades this Halloween, it’s best to be prepared. Obviously, you’ll need a large bag of assorted candy to ward off the ghosts and ghouls – and a strong gin cocktail to keep your own spirits up. And what cocktail could be better than a Corpse Reviver?
Corpse Reviver classic cocktail was invented by the eminent Harry Craddock, original head bartender at the American Bar of the Savoy (and all round legend). It features in his famous Savoy Cocktail Book, first published in 1930. Ever helpful, right underneath the recipe, Harry offers the following advice:
Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.
Harry Craddock
TOP TIP: We don’t necessarily recommend downing four Corpse Reviver cocktails in a row, unless you really want to see spirits. But one or two won’t do you any harm. And it will help you to deal with those pesky Halloweeners outside your front door.
Harry Craddock’s original recipe for a Corpse Reviver No.2:
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we!There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, … Continued
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