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Today: A floral, citrusy take on the gin rickey, for the city or the sand.
Maybe it’s because I’m part Swede that I like wearing sweaters at the beach. Or perhaps it’s because we used to visit the South Carolina coast when it was still chilly, or because I’m sunburnt easily. A mess of wind-whipped hair and legs covered in goosebumps doesn’t hide the fact that my skin still always gets a little red any time I set foot on sand. I'm my mother's daughter, what can I say?
What I do know is that, no matter what, I like being warm in the arms when I have a cold drink in my hand, especially by the sea. And I really like that drink to be a gin rickey.
The pucker and prick of this classic cocktail is as straightforward as can be, and hardly needs any tweaking. Having been around for over 100 years, with its combination of bubbles, booze, and acid, the gin rickey makes a strong case for the simple and storied.
But changing up your citrus and herbs freshens up the basic lime version, and going a bit more floral really vibes with what we want right now. Here, we swapped in lemon for lime and added a sprig of lavender, but rosemary works just as well. You might even try dill for a more savory take. And remember: Never shake your seltzer, and serve a rickey ice cold. Or you’ll get a face full of bubbles and an empty glass.
Serves 2
3 ounces Tanqueray gin
4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoon honey
4 ounces seltzer
2 sprigs lavender
2 wedges lemon
See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
Photo by James Ransom
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