The Perfect Gimlet in "The Long Good-Bye"

[jamespowers]

I don't taste much vermouth in the dry Martinis I make. Just a hint to give it character. I wonder if you can taste the vermouth at all in 1:20? For the pure gin taste I just use ice cubes.

Speaking of Dry Martinis. They should be served with olives on the side as well as in the drink. The perfect snack to accompany a nice drink.

I use a spritzer as well to add vermouth. I am not sure what proportion it makes it but four spritzes is all it takes to make a martini for me. It does cloud the gin or vodka when it is added so it must add something.
I also stir my martinis---no ice. I keep the bottles in the refridgerator so there is no need for it.
Mine are served with more onions on the side as a snack.

Regards to all,

J

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Well, guys, I am here drinking my beloved scotch on ice with a dash of spring water, thinking about cool detectives. I haven't ready Chandler or even Dashelle (Lillian Hellman's boyfriend), but I do read a lot of mystery novels.

I read the girls -- some are detectives, some are just whiz kids who solve crimes. They have their favorite drinks.

I like V. I Warshowksi, she of the almost unpronounceable name and smart mouth that gets her in trouble. I like her because she dresses stylishly, drives hot cars, is a sloppy housekeeper (like me), solves coporate crimes ( I don't even know what's going on legal-wise) and her drink of choice is Johnny Walker Black Label with some ice. Or maybe a good wine (author S.Paretsky). She has an ex-husband or two.

Kay Scarpetta, who is not a detective but a forensic scientist (that's Doctor Scarpetta). She favors wine and good Italian food, but is a but of a nervous nelly and sometimes I think she is paranoid (author P. Cornwell). She had a married boyfriend who was an FBI profiler and who got blown up. Maybe she is not so paranoid.

Anna Pidgeon (author Nevada Barr) is a forest ranger who solves crimes in the National Parks in which she serves. You get a tour of a national park and insight into the inner workings of park services problems. She is tough as nails. I am not sure she drinks, maybe she has sworn it off because of earlier excesses due to an ex-husband who died when hit by a car -- or is that:

Kinsey Milhone (Sue Grafton), a detective working out of Santa Barbara. She is as dowdy as Warshowski is stylish, drives a battered old VW bug, but she keeps a neat house. She does not, however, eat well, favoring Big Macs and fries. Maybe she is the teetotaler, I can't recall. She is also a smartass, but keeps it to herself and lets the reader know what she is thinking. I don't know what will happen to her when she gets to the end of the alphabet (up to R now). She has two ex-husbands.

Then there is Sharon McComb (author is M Muller), who at least developed some character for me when it was revealed that her mother was Native American. She has a tough cop boyfriend, works out of San Franciso, and I think she drinks wine.

Pet peeve: they all seem to dislike firearms and are always leaving their guns behind when they should be packing. They all have ex-spouse/ex-boyfriend baggage.

But it is nice to read about tough women who solve crimes and who are not afraid to go into places and situations that I wouldn't (at least not without my gun).

I want to write mystery novels when I retire. Oh boy, just what the world needs, another girl detective....

karol

 

[jamespowers]

I want to write mystery novels when I retire. Oh boy, just what the world needs, another girl detective....

But this one would have a BIG gun. 44 magnum Dirty Harry style---Dirty Harriet.

Regards to all,

J

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Hey, cool! Thanks, James, now I have a first name for her!!

Harriet, a working class gal, will drink Jack Daniels on ice. And beer.

Are there any beer-drinking detectives out there? Some of those English detectives must have been Ale drinkers, at least.

I bought some Rose's lime juice and tried a gin gimlet tonight. Maybe it was the consistency, but I felt like I was drinking a gin and tonic. Not my thing.

karol

PS We know what Dirty Harry packed, what about some of the others?

 

[HaraldTheSwede]

Are there any beer-drinking detectives out there? Some of those English detectives must have been Ale drinkers, at least.

Inspector Morse drinks lots of ale. Usually at a local pub. And he's quick to comment if it isn't any good too.

 

[scotrace]

Manhattan

What is everyone's signature drink that they make better than anyone else?
Go ahead and brag.

Two: Manhattan and gin martini.
The story goes that the Manhattan was first mixed by Sir Winston Churchill's mother, an American woman who sported a tattoo and moved in the highest social circles in her day, on both sides of the Atlantic.
As Mr. Bowers mentioned above, Rye is the correct foundation, with a dash of bitters, good Italian vermouth, and then shake the stuffing out of it over ice until it is almost frothy. To quote Jack Betthridge: "The point is to create crystals of cocktail that hang in the drink like frigid gems and suggest just how precious and ephemeral is the little oasis of time known as the cocktail hour." Strain over a cherry or, less authentically, a twist of lemon. Real Rye is not easy to find in America - there's just one brand available in my area - Old Overholt, known affectionately at my house as "Old Dunderhead."
I have developed a taste for the Maker's Manhattan, in which Maker's Mark is used, along with a bit of the juice from the jar of cherries.
At a bar that was part of a nice restaurant, I encountered a bartender who made an orgasmic gin martini. He served it with a glass of ice water, and explained that the two were invariably paired when he was starting out in the '40's. Guy ordered a gin martini, he got a glass of ice water with it. Since he said I looked like a young fellow who would appreciate the tradition, he got a nice tip.
A martini is only as good as the gin or vodka used. Use something akin to mule pee, and it will taste like mule pee.
A good friend of mine has been a part-time bartender in Cambridge, MA, for around 20 years. I called him one night to ask how to make a proper martini. He replied, "You pour best-quality chilled gin in a room where vermouth was once stored."

 

[jamespowers]

A good friend of mine has been a part-time bartender in Cambridge, MA, for around 20 years. I called him one night to ask how to make a proper martini. He replied, "You pour best-quality chilled gin in a room where vermouth was once stored."

Ahhh! A bartender after my own heart. That is what I consider the correct way. Why can't I find those around here?

Regards to all,

J

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Scotrace -- That's cool.

I agree, that is even better than my spritzer of vermouth!

karol

 

[jake_fink]

Martinis and the good old summer time...

Over the winter when drinking cocktails is required ( ) I opt for a dirty Martini or Gibson's or an F. Scott Fitzgerald. The first two are created by simply dropping a little olive or pickled onion juice into the mix and the other is made by swishing Cointreau or some other citrus flavoured liquer in the glass before pouring the drink. (The Cointreau is then thrown out - you don't want to actually drink the stuff.)

But now it's summer time and my favourite drink at home is the stirred (never shaken) Martini and the Bourbon highball. For both you have to use primo quality booze. When I'm out on the prowl a shaken Martini is fine, and there is at least one bar in town that makes a great Gimlet, a perfect Chandlerian concoction.

Most often though I drink wine or beer - stout in the winter and pilsner in the summer. :beer:

Happy sippin'
:cheers1:

 

[farnham54]

I gotta say, i do love my Jack Daniels and Dr. Pepper. It's a wonderful drink, and far superior in flavor (at least to my pallet) then Jack and Coke. Mind you, just Jack is nice sometimes too with a bit of ice. And I have a soft spot in my liver for Red Wine.

I'm surprised Rye Whiskey is hard to find in the States--not all Rye's will say Rye on the bottle.

Surely, Canadian Club, Crown Royal, or Alberta Springs must be available? I'm partial to the third one, myself. Usually, Rye whiskey is Canadian whisky, though not always (a lot of Canuck whiskey is actually blended). REAL rye must be made with I believe at least 51 percent rye grain mash...I could be incorrect though!

Cheers

Craig

 

[Brad Bowers]

REAL rye must be made with I believe at least 51 percent rye grain mash...I could be incorrect though!

You're right, Craig. Federal law mandates that to be sold as Rye in the United States, it must contain 51% rye in the mash. That's why many of the Canadian whiskies are not sold as rye here, just whiskey.

There are several ryes available, ranging from about $13 for Rittenhouse, to $100 a bottle for Old Potrero. I suppose it depends on the liquor store as to whether they stock any of them. Some are better in mixed drinks, and others are better drinking straight. For American whiskies, I'd rather have rye than anything else. After all, it was the first American whiskey!

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

Well, let's see. I know of a few brands of Rye still made in the US. They are:

Jim Beam Straight Rye Whiskey
Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
Wild Turkey Straight Rye Whiskey
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye
Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey
The Classic Cask Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Michters Straight Rye
Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Old Potrero is even made near here in San Francisco by the Anchor Steam beer company. It costs too much and tastes like, well you know, but it is made here. For those who like the 100% rye with a 125.5 proof this is for you---not me.
My friends tell me that Jim Beam is passable and Michters is a bit better but for the price it should be at $40 or so versus half that for the Jim Beam. I have no idea about how rye should taste since I am not that much into it so take their advise as I do---with some trepidation.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

I've tried quite a few of those. Potrero is indeed an experience, but not something I would normally drink, even if I could afford it. Van Winkle isn't bad. I was disappointed with Old Overholt, as it tasted to me like bananas, and I can't stand the taste of bananas.

The Utah State Liquor Store only carries Rittenhouse now, which is fine for me, as I'm usually on a very tight budget. It makes good Manhattans, but I've grown to like it just fine on the rocks. It's one of my few muses when I'm writing.

Brad

 

[jamespowers]

I've tried quite a few of those. Potrero is indeed an experience, but not something I would normally drink, even if I could afford it. Van Winkle isn't bad. I was disappointed with Old Overholt, as it tasted to me like bananas, and I can't stand the taste of bananas.

The Utah State Liquor Store only carries Rittenhouse now, which is fine for me, as I'm usually on a very tight budget. It makes good Manhattans, but I've grown to like it just fine on the rocks. It's one of my few muses when I'm writing.

Hmmm...I have never heard of Rittenhouse but have heard about the banana taste of Old Overholt.

Regards to all,

J

 

[MK]

.

I just made my first Gimlet. I made it because I just obtained a bottle of Aviation gin...which is considered an old school approach even though it is a fairly new company. I have not been much of a gin drinker....but I recently had the pleasure to experience a very old drink called an Aviation cocktail (see thread of the same name). I am still on the hunt for the other ingredients, so I thought I would sample this gin with what I have on hand. I chose the gimlet because I am very fond of Philip Marlowe. Chandler's recipe calls for equal parts gin and Rose's lime juice. My bar books call for 1/4-1/2 oz. to 2 oz. gin. I chose 1/2 oz. Rose's to 2 oz. gin. It is a decent drink. It won't replace my Manhattans but enjoyable nevertheless.

I know this thread is almost four years old....but I like to keep things tidy.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Real Rye is not easy to find in America - there's just one brand available in my area - Old Overholt, known affectionately at my house as "Old Dunderhead."

We usually call it Old Overcoat.

Here is a good drink using Rye:

Curari Cocktail

2 oz rye whiskey
3/4 oz Ruby Red Port
3/4 oz Amaro Cora (Cora bitters)
2 dashes orange bitters
Shake in iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange twist

 

[Lancealot]

At least in Casino Royale he drinks something I believe Ian invented in the book called a Vesper. It's both vodka and gin (two to six) besides the dry vermouth (one part), plus a twist of lemon. I don't know what he drinks in the other books though.

He omits the vermouth and instead calls for Lillet which is a aperitif white wine.