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