Three recipes to celebrate World Gin Day the Canberra way
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And to be clear, that’s with a glass of something cold and decidedly delicious in hand.
Here at HerCanberra we love gin – so much so that we created our own colour changing gin in collaboration with The Canberra Distillery (if you didn’t know about this, now you do) – and with our fair city being something of a haven for those who can’t say no to a freshly made G&T, it feels only right to mark World Gin Day on Saturday 8 June by sharing some very important information: how to make a killer gin-based cocktail at home.
To keep it local, these three recipes are from HerCanberra contributors who, over the years, have shared their secret to a good tipple. All best enjoyed over good conversation, let the celebration be gin!
Le Gin and Tea by Emma Bickley
Credit: Emma Bickley.
Makes two… if you care to share.
Ingredients
- 1 cup strongly brewed French Earl Grey Tea
- 1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar
- Zest of half an orange
- 30ml HerCanberra + The Canberra Distillery French Earl Grey Gin
- Splash of soda
- Dried orange for garnish
Method
Steep your tea until it’s rich and fragrant, then add orange zest.
Once the mixture has cooled slightly, pour evenly into two stylish tea cups, using a strainer if you don’t like the zest in your drink.
Add the gin (sorry, colour change miracles have been overtaken by the rich tannins of the tea!) and a splash of soda.
Garnish with dried citrus. Sip over good conversation and, preferably, by a roaring fire.
Pomegranate, Rosemary and Gin Fizz by Anisa Sabet
Credit: Anisa Sabet.
Makes two
Ingredients
For the rosemary sugar syrup:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Few sprigs of rosemary
For the fizz:
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup gin
- 3-4 tablespoons rosemary sugar syrup
- Dash lemon juice
- Soda water, to top
- To serve: fresh rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils
Method
To make the syrup
In the small saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a simmer. Then take off the heat, add the rosemary and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
To make the fizz
Divide ice cubes among your cocktail glasses. Pour in the pomegranate juice, gin, rosemary sugar syrup and lemon juice. Give a nice stir. Top with soda water and garnish with rosemary sprigs and pomegranate arils.
Spiked Cherry Soda Thyme by Chrissy Dupé
Credit: Chrissy Dupé.
Makes four
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 600g fresh cherries, pitted
- 80ml good quality gin
- Splash of bitters
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 6-8 ice cubes
- 120ml soda water
Thyme-infused sugar syrup
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 thyme sprigs
Method
For the sugar syrup
Heat the sugar and water together in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly until it starts to simmer. Turn the heat down to low and continue to stir until all the sugar is dissolved (about three minutes). Take it off the heat and set aside for five minutes to cool. Pour the liquid into an airtight container, add six thyme sprigs and put into the fridge to cool for around 20 minutes.
To mix the cocktails
Place the pitted cherries into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Add two tablespoons of the sugar syrup and mix together.
Put ice into the cocktail mixer and add half of the gin, half of the cherry mixture, 1/4 tbsp lime juice, a small splash of bitters, three sprigs of fresh thyme. Put the lid on and shake vigorously for around 20 seconds. Pour through a strainer or sieve into two small mason jars or other glasses.
Repeat the above process for the third and fourth cocktails with the remaining ingredients. Finish all four off with 30ml of soda water each and serve with a straw and a cherry on top.
Feature image: Emma Bickley.
