104 � squaremeal.co.uk

STRAP LINE

all-natural ingredients, what does that

mean for the skinny options, which

would usually be pumped with the sort

of sweeteners that terrify the tabloids?

Luckily, both Fever-Tree and Franklin &

Sons have light options that cut the cals

without adding chemicals and, crucially,

still taste delicious.

THE ICE

Let's be honest, is a G&T really a G&T

unless it's icy cold? When we're talking

ice, it's important to start by unpicking

one of the most common drinks-related

misconceptions out there. Repeat after me:

adding ice is not about ripping you off . If

you've ever had one of those tragi-comic

half-pint G&Ts,

you've more than

likely noticed that

its 2.5 ice cubes

dwindle away to

nothing long before

the liquid actually

gets much below room temperature.

Packing a glass with ice actually slows

dilution, plus if the gin is measured out

(as it usually is), and the tonic is the

premium, bottled kind, there isn't much

room for short-changing.

Stokes' advice is emphatic when it

comes to measuring out the frozen stuff :

"Add as much ice as you can fi t in your

chosen glass, add the gin and tonic, then,

if there's room, add more ice."

THE GLASS

A drinks-industry debate recently raged

about those gigantic Spanish-style 'copa'

goblets. Some feel they're a marketing

ploy, responsible for completely skewing

the gin-tonic ratio and are therefore unfi t

for purpose. Bratt, however, disagrees:

"� e use of diff erent glassware for

diff erent cocktail serves has been around

for a long time, and the G&T is simply the

newest addition to this trend. Copa glasses

have a great visual impact and are good

for highlighting and accentuating the

garnish." Stokes also thinks the glass has

its place, explaining that the balloon shape

lets the drink's aroma circulate.

Personally, I reckon they're more of a

special-occasion glass, and at home you

can't do better than a classic highball -

and not just because you can fi t more of

them in the cupboard. Godden and his

team concur, in fact they only serve their

G&Ts in highball glasses.

THE GARNISH

� ere's so much more to garnishes than

the lemon or lime question. � e choice of

garnish will almost always be linked to the

botanicals in the gin. Hendrick's started

the ball rolling for fabulous fl ourishes

with its cucumber slices (its other quirky

botanical is rose petals, so if you want to

feel fancy, a decadent scatter of petals is

always an option).

A garnish can also be used as a contrast

to the botanicals in a gin, with one of

Stokes' favourites of all

time being mango and

black pepper matched

with the hyper-herbal

Gin Mare.

Whether you go

into that much detail

or not, Bratt says it's

the thought that counts: "A fancy garnish

shows real attention to detail, and I love

the idea that someone has taken so much

time and care to prepare the drink."

What we can take from all this is that

the G&T is a far more versatile sipper

than it might fi rst appear, with serves

ranging from the little black dress of the

drinks world through to an ostentatious

ballgown. But whatever you choose, you

can rest assured it'll always be fun.

Packing a glass

with ice actually

slows dilution