What exactly is a 'gin and it'? My dad seems to think it's gin and Italian, meaning something vile and sweet like Martini rosso or something, but he can't be sure. It's one of those drinks you see flighty young girls ordering in black and white early 60s films, thinking they're being terribly grown up and a bit naughty. Whatever it is, it sounds horrible.
Same goes for a 'gin and French'. What is the French part? White wine? Pernod? Again, it's bound to be hideous. Whatever they are, why aren't they drunk anymore? It seems this kind of drink, this kind of cocktail manque has fallen out of fashion. Apart from vodka or the odd G&T, when was the last time you or anyone you know went into a pub and asked for a short - a scotch on the rocks, maybe or a 100 Pipers, no ice?
We are of the generation that grew up drinking (and throwing up) fizzy lagers, alcopops and fancy wines. Wine was for nobs in days of yore. We never had wine at home unless mum and dad were throwing a dinner party. No one sat around sipping a glass or two in the evenings like we do - straight home and straight into the bottle. I drink too much, I know, but the first thing I feel like when I get hom in the evening is a drink.
In New York, for example, there's no shame in going into a bar and asking for a Manhattan or an Old-Fashioned. Here, they'd laugh at you if you went into a pub and asked for one (if they knew what you were talking about in the first place), or it would be presented on some 3ft skinny cocktail menu where it would cost over £6 and be considered a treat.
Is this why shorts have fallen out of favour? Because of the cocktail boom of the 80s, shorts are now seen as once-in-a-while drinks, rather than something to be enjoyed everyday?
"No one drinks gin anymore," proclaimed my mother-in-law as we marvelled at her dusty, crusty array of half-finished bottles on her drink trolley.
We laughed. But I think she's right.
10 comments:
Well, according to ginandit.co.uk, 'Gin and It could be described as the original Martini. The most detailed history of the Martini starts around 1862 with a drink called the Martinez. The Martinez contained four parts sweet red Vermouth, to one part Gin and came garnished with a maraschino cherry. Over time people began to replace the sweet red Vermouth with dry white Vermouth. The proportions eventually became equal parts and soon the more common Dry Martini appeared, olive included. This pink, sweet early cocktail later became known as a ‘Gin and It…!’ and was a popular drink amongst women during the 40’s. It is drunk today, but it is now more commonly known as a Sweet Martini.'
I think that drinking spirits is still the height of sophistication; gin and tonic, whisky and soda, a Pimms on a summer's day, and even a Jack Daniels and Coke has a charm of its own. Brits love cocktails as it enables them to shy away from their own sexuality by asking the barman for a Slow Comfortable Screw or a Screaming Orgasm.
PS Loving the new picture. It's very you.
Well, there you go. THanks Clair - gin and It actually has its own website!
Glad you like the pic. I thought it best sums me up.
No comment on booze from me, but just chiming in to agree the Jonathan Crest-style picture is tres chic.
My sorry drinking history from the age of 18 onwards:
- Taboo and lemonade (oh, shut up)
- dry Martini and lemonade
- Southern Comfort and lemonade
- Jack Daniels and coke
- gin and tonic
I plan to stick at this point, now that I have reached a level of comparative sophistication.
Also, I third the support for your new picture. Now there's a scotch-on-the-rocks-dammit man if there ever was one.
"- Taboo and lemonade (oh, shut up)"
My girlfriend still drinks that shit.
My worst drink, and this is true, was Advocaat and Tia Maria, it tasted like Cadbury's Caramel. And yes, later on that night I was sick.
Advocaat and anything is a dangerous combination. I remember one Boxing Day after 8 snowballs. I'm wretching at the thought.
Makes your breath smell of rotten eggs too.
Glad my new pic gets the thumbs up. I presume everyone knows what it is?
God, your vomit must have looked like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man in Ghostbusters!
And it's the cover of How Dare You? by 10cc.
I can always rely on you, Clair.
Hello,
where I came from all the girls drank vodka'n'coke from the age of 14.
I'm more worried about what it may have done to my teeth than to my liver.
Oh, and, You can still get Taboo?!!
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