Ruby Taylor Jassy Davis - Gin Made Me Do It

CONTENTS

HarperCollinsPublishers

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First published by HarperCollinsPublishers as the Made Me Do It series: 2017-2020

Copyright HarperCollinsPublishers

Prosecco Made Me Do It written by Amy Zavatto

Gin Made Me Do It written by Jassy Davis

Tequila Made Me Do It written by Cecilia Rios Murrieta

Whisky Made Me Do It written by Lance J. Mayhew

Ros Made Me Do It written by Colleen Graham

Illustrated by Ruby Taylor

Designed by Gareth Butterworth and Jacqui Caulton

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

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Source ISBNs: 978-0-00-826017-0, 978-0-00-828030-7, 978-0-00-830021-0, 978-0-00-831370-8, 978-0-00-834029-2

Ebook edition May 2020 ISBN 9780008427269

Version 2020-05-21

DISCLAIMER: This book features recipes that include the optional use of raw eggs. Consuming raw eggs may increase the risk of food-borne illness. Individuals who are immunocompromised, pregnant or elderly should use caution. Ensure eggs are fresh and meet local food-standard requirements.

Please drink responsibly.

CONTENTS

Life is better with a cocktail in your hand and not just because its full of booze. Sharing a bottle of wine or a few beers with friends is fun. But no matter how mellow everyone gets; the night will always taste a little ordinary. Take the same people, prop them up in a bar with a round of ice-cold Martinis and the night will always feel more fun, more glamorous and more exciting. This is because cocktails give life its glitter.

These days, while we wait at home for lockdown to lift, a trip to your local hot spot is out of the question. When quarantine is over, we can visit our favourite bars and pubs again. But until then, we have to glitz up our own lives. This is where the cocktail comes in. A Quarantini, if you will.

Your kitchen is only ever one rum cocktail away from being a tiki bar. Your living room just needs a pair of Spritzes to turn it into an Italian trattoria. Your hallway can be an old-fashioned members club in London, full of whisky and gossip, while your bathroom makes a great stand-in for Miami as long as you take a Mojito into the tub.

With the right drink, you can conjure up every chic city bar or rustic seaside shack youve ever dreamt of drinking in. I dont recommend trying to visit them all in one night cocktails are best taken in small doses but with the recipes in this book, you can enjoy a perfect night out while staying safely in.

Weve put these cocktails together because not only can they take you round the world in a glass, they dont require too many trips to the shops. These are paired-down drinks made with a few select, easy-to-source ingredients and the kind of liquors inhabiting everyones drinks cabinet as well as a few iconic cocktails to try, should you happen to have some seldom-used bitters or a long-lost vermouth collecting dust. You can get a bit technical with some of the cocktails, and add a few bartender twists, or keep it loose and simple. Make Gin Rickeys with vodka, Whisky Flips with brandy, and Margaritas with white rum. Now is the time for experiments and having fun. And who knows? Maybe lockdown will help you invent a new cocktail classic.

Many cocktails in this book require a touch of simple syrup. I prefer using this to caster sugar or any granulated sugar, no matter how fine, because its already dissolved and easier to mix with. Make a batch ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator. The variations you can make on this are only limited by your imagination and ingredients, but here are the recipes contained in this book for your reference.

SIMPLE SYRUP

The basic recipe tells you a lot about the name: its simple! The method is as follows: One part sugar to one part water.

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

BROWN SUGAR SIMPLE SYRUP

Add 200g (7oz) of brown sugar to a small pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Heat this over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let it cool. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

CONCORD GRAPE SYRUP

The sweetness inherent in grapes means no sugar need apply. Simply take 150g (5oz) rinsed Concord grapes (although any red or black grapes will do) and put them in a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the grape skins begin to break and the juice and flesh spill out into the pan. Cook down for about 5 minutes. Cool and press through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the extra pulp, skins and stems. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

GINGER SYRUP

Add 200g (7oz) of sugar to a small pan. Add 1 thumb-sized piece of peeled and sliced ginger to the pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Heat this over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let the ginger steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger with a mesh strainer. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

HONEY-GINGER SYRUP

Add 240ml (8fl oz) honey to a small pan. Add 1 thumb-sized piece of peeled and sliced ginger to the pan. Pour 240ml (8fl oz) of water into the pan. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the ginger steep for 20 minutes. Strain out the ginger with a mesh strainer. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

MINT SIMPLE SYRUP

200g (7oz) granulated white sugar

240ml (8fl oz) water

5g (oz) fresh mint leaves, washed

Drop the mint into a small saucepan and gently muddle to release the oils. Add the sugar and water and cook over a medium heat. Gently stir until the sugar dissolves and the aroma of the mint is prominent. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.