Gin Tankage?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

For shame!!!

All reputable martini drinkers know that a zest of lemon, squeezed over the surface of the martini (so the essential oils coat the surface) is the ONLY correct garnish.

Tisk. Tisk.

The experienced fish, when seeing a pretty feather flashing through the water, knows not to bite . . .

[Buzzman]

Hence the flowers and white flag......

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

For shame!!!

All reputable martini drinkers know that a zest of lemon, squeezed over the surface of the martini (so the essential oils coat the surface) is the ONLY correct garnish.

Tisk. Tisk.

martinis are made with vodka - stirred not shaken

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by carstenb

martinis are made with vodka - stirred not shaken

The bay is full of fishing boats, running slowly with their lines out . . .

But no one is biting . . .

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The bay is full of fishing boats, running slowly with their lines out . . .

But no one is biting . . .

Sometimes it is best to leave well alone.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Ooooh, hook line and sinker .

Vodka? Lemon peel? Shaken? It is absolutely criminal tampering with perfection.

Next will be the suggestion that a Vesper could be considered a desirable alternative .

SWL

[Buzzman]

LOL...007's tipple of choice....

Although we're beginning to go in circles, as Kina Lillet is a 'tonic' due to it's containing cinchona, like Indian Tonic Water. So a Vesper is a sort-of 'G&T.

This would be a very citrusy cocktail, and probably not sweet.

But the idea of shaking a martini.....brrrrrrrrrrrrrr......I shudder at the thought.

When I was being taught me bar-mixin' skills, at the Perth Sheraton, many aeons ago, a 'proper' dry martini was three parts dry gin, three drops dry vermouth, and the aforementioned squeeze of lemon zest.

Do it carefully, and wear glasses, as the lemon oil is murder if it gets in your eyes, and watch closely. You should see a faint hint of an oily slick on the surface of the gin.

The gin and vermouth is poured into an ice filled shaker, then capped and immediately poured into the pre-chilled glass - the cone-shaped 'martini' glass, not a 'marie-antoinette' champagne glass.

The lemon zest is then 'squeezed' over the surface. Do NOT add the lemon to the drink. Very important. Just the essential oil from the peel.

And you should use cubed ice, not crushed, as you don't want to dilute the gin, just chill it.

YMMV

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Ooooh, hook line and sinker .

Vodka? Lemon peel? Shaken? It is absolutely criminal tampering with perfection.

Next will be the suggestion that a Vesper could be considered a desirable alternative .

SWL

Lassie you are probably the only woman on the face of the earth who would turn down a martini served up by mr. connery

or would you?

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Lassie you are probably the only woman on the face of the earth who would turn down a martini served up by mr. connery

or would you?

Standards are not to be lowered .

SWL

[Buzzman]

Been doing some 'research' on the issue of bulk grog supplies, and discoverd that several wineries in Oz (ok, lots) do offer bulk wine and especially bulk fortifieds, like port, tokay, muscat.

Some even offer the purchase of a wooden barrel or breaker, in which to store it. One even offers two different sizes...!!!

Others offer wine in the ubiquitous 'cask', with it's plastic bag inner lining (ahem..an Aussie invention) in sizes up to 20 litres.

OK, so 'caterers special' wines like Berri Dry Red are the equivalent of vin rouge trés ordinaire, many smaller wineries offer plastic jerry cans and similar of 5L or 15L or even 20L.

It's not cheap by the time you buy a premium wine from a small winery and add freight, but it's certainly do-able, and would prevent that horrible incidence of wine bottle capsize and total loss. You'd only ever lose a glass, not a whole bottle!

I imagine wineries worldwide do the same, so google your local wineries and check.

No doubt you could put in some 'wine tankage' as well as 'gin tankage'.

Adds a new meaning to the expression any port in a storm....well, not just *any* port....

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by Buzzman

All reputable martini drinkers

There are no reputable martini drinkers. That is the point.

Originally Posted by carstenb

martinis are made with vodka - stirred not shaken

If I recall correctly (and I seldom do), Fleming's Bond first drank proper gin martinis and changed to vodka, probably for commercial purposes, with the vesper his creation in between. A proper martini drinking sailor carries both gin and vodka, the former for martinis, the latter for winterizing the fresh water lines. Save a little of the vodka for a cooler mix when the 19 year old neighbour's kid cleans and waxes your boat. Inspect the work before pouring.

[Buzzman]

Seriously off topic, but I prefer my vodka mixed with Kahlua. 1:1.

Mmmmmmm.... Black Russian.

When I ordered my first Black Russian on any night out, that was 'the signal' it was time to go home.

But was usually too pissed to give a **** and tended to stay for several more.

At least, I think it was several....can't actually recall......

When I was behind the bar and someone asked for something different, I'd serve the above, shaken, into a martini glass. Usually 2 nips of each.

Spray creme on top, and chocolate and coffee powder sprinkled on it (for the ladies only). Sliver of shaved chocolate if the catering staff hadn't scoffed it all behind my back.

I called it Thor's Hammer.

[carstenb]

Dockhead and I are sailing around in the Channel and North sea. We've discovered a brand of gin called The Botanist.

This gin makes the world's best martini. Now that is a definitive statement that needs more research before we can be sure

I'll let you all know after a couple of more bottles

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Dockhead and I are sailing around in the Channel and North sea. We've discovered a brand of gin called The Botanist.

This gin makes the world's best martini. Now that is a definitive statement that needs more research before we can be sure

I'll let you all know after a couple of more bottles

Without any doubt, the world's best martini. I have gratefully received presents of "premium" gin like Hendricks over the years, but have never really cared much about it. Beefeater and Gordon's has always been ok for me. I sometimes have Bombay Sapphire on board, but not generally worth the premium over Beefeater to my palate. But this Botanist -- wow, this is something completely different, and incredibly delicious. I am deeply regretting that I only bought two bottles of it on Helgoland. A mistake I will surely correct on the way back.

I am grateful to Carsten for introducing me to this gin. Also to Martinis made with a twist rather than an olive, something I had never tried before for some reason.

Carsten makes our sail sound like an alco-cruise, but in fact we spent a majority of the nights at sea and dry.

[nigel1]

I'll be sailing to Islay next month, must try and get a bottle of this Botanist.