Earth Hour

In preparation for Earth Hour 2011 (March 26th at 8:30pm) the Gindicate is reviewing last years plans and dreaming up this years adventures!

Earth Hour 2010 was celebrated with much merriment in the Gindicate. We decided to take that hour to do a little candlelight gin tasting. It lasted far longer than the hour! We tried our 6 gins 3 ways: gin collins, gin & tonic, and traditional martini. We decided to go with a variety of different priced and available gins. The gins we played with that evening were:

• Martin Millers Westbourne
  
• Blue Coat
• No. 209
• New Amsterdam
• DH Krahn
• G'vine Floraison
  

We wanted to make sure that there was consistency in flavor so we used refresh collins mix, Q tonic, and Dolin's vermouth regardless of what might be "better" for the style of gin it was mixed with. We also were very particular with the number of ice cubes and how watered down they would get over time. We take our gin tasting very seriously!

We found that everyone had a different opinion on what worked best, with the different mixer/ingredient. Eventually we will get around to reviewing each gin separately, but just know ... fun was had by all. We hope you enjoy the photos taken with an iPhone using candlelight.

The Gindicate Test Kitchen

Last April we embarked on a new plan/mission: remove our outdated and dysfunctional kitchen. It seemed an easy task, IKEA had software and DIY instructions. What could be better than that? It only took us about 5 months (2 months without a stove) to get everything back in order. Because we were working so hard, doing it all ourselves, we didn’t gain any extra lbs from the fast food we were forced to eat! Also, those two months happened to be during June and July which meant that most meals were grilled.

Our poorly planned late 1940’s mess was refurbished cabinet doors that didn’t open beyond 45 degrees in the 1980’s (seen here without doors):

We demolished all the cabinets and removed the cracked tile flooring (yes, that’s the original window that now looks into the master bedroom addition):

We then laid in new walls and subflooring (some of which was missing under the original cabinets):

We then hand textured the walls with natural sponge and painted. Later laying in laminate flooring:

By this time (which is about June 2010) we have received our shipment of IKEA furniture. On the new flooring and a little padding we built all our cabinets:

There were a few setbacks in hanging the cabinets, but we were able to get it all together in the end! The countertops and sink went in smoothly:

We then put all the cabinet doors and handles on. The IKEA system is really easy, it went on in a few hours:

What ended up being the most difficult and rewarding part was tiling. We had ordered handmade clay tiles from Tiere y Fuego in San Diego. Being handmade made a huge difference in size and depth, everything was different. Each maker had a different style and I think we got at least two tile-maker’s batches. The colors were rich and vibrant which set off the wall color beautifully!

By the end of July our kitchen was usable, but we still had baseboards, touch up painting, and a fan light to install. All these things were slowly done over August. The main reason this took so long was that we still had day jobs. We worked 2 hours a night on the kitchen and all day Saturday and Sunday. Strangely enough, we have friends that had contractors take longer to complete kitchens for them. We’re grateful to be done and already making delicious food and drinks in our Gindicate Test Kitchen. I hope you will enjoy photos of our creations against the back drop of our DIY adventure.

We're back!

We'd like to start with a thank you to those who stuck with us while we were gone for nearly a year. There were many changes made within the Gindicate and we are happy to be back! That being said we did not quit our cocktailing lifestyle just stopped recording it. We will be posting within the next few weeks the major projects we embarked on since last March. Projects like ripping out, designing, and installing our new test kitchen. There will be more DIY explorations, bar reviews for the SF Bay Area, and of course discussions on Gin.

Thank you again for your patience!
Cheers!

To Gin or Not to Gin ...

As a Gin lover, I find that I can add Gin to pretty much any drink and really like it. The question of Gin-ing or not came up recently when trying to finish off a half bottle of French Champagne.

I'd heard that you can pair Champagne and Sloe Gin to produce a light, girly cocktail that is quite refreshing. The recipe is as follows:
Sloe Royale
1 oz Sloe Gin
3 oz Sparkling Wine
berry to garnish

Pour 1 oz Sloe Gin into Champagne flute. Top with 3 oz sparkling wine. Drop in a berry (seasonal) to garnish. Serve.

The problem I have is this. Does the Sloe Gin really enhance the cocktail or would it be better to place a hibiscus flower (that has been candied in syrup) at the bottom of the Champagne glass and top with sparkling wine? I have had both and have a very difficult time choosing a favorite. Maybe I'll just have to do a few more taste tests to see.

Happy Cocktails!

Opportunity Knocks

Every Thursday morning, for the past year or so, there has been a semi truck parked in the dirt off the overpass near my office. It sits innocently on the side of the road in the morning hours and is usually gone before 10am. I wouldn't normally comment on a parked Semi, they're always around. The part that makes this particular truck special is the huge picture of Bacardi Limon and the booze that hides in its cargo section.

Every time I see the truck I get this overwhelming feeling that I need to do something. I need to liberate this hold of booze. I need to be Robin Hood! I need to take from the rich and give to the poor! Namely ... me!

However, my conscious takes over and I think how wrong it would be. I mean, its Bacardi! Who would drink that much bad rum? Sure they could have Bacardi Reserva Limitada, which isn't half bad, but they probably only have Silver.

And this, people, is why I drink Gin.

Crescent City Blossom

This cocktail made 3rd Place (Tie) at the 2007 Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans, LA. It was created by Martin Cate, now, of the Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco, CA.

• 2 1/2 oz Sparkling Wine
  
• 1 oz Plymouth Gin
• 1 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 1/4 oz Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters

Combine the above in an ice filled mixing glass. Stir until chilled and strain into a Champagne glass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with an orange peel spiral.

This one of my favorite cocktails and I love asking Martin to make it whenever he's behind the bar. Luckily for me, I can make it at home and enjoy it after a lovely meal. Cheers!

Comments on Gin

What would be the gateway alcohol to Gin?

This question is inherently circular in its answer. Vodka might be the closest in color and flavor, yet it doesn’t really provide the qualities that even the mildest Gin provides, i.e. Juniper. Even highly herbal or botanical vodka’s like Square One Botanical don’t have the ingredients that make a gin, a gin. For a light, smooth, easy drinking gin try Plymouth. Plymouth Gin is exclusive in that it is the only gin that can be called a Plymouth style gin. It is most notable for not having the bitter orange flavor of other gins, yet still having a refreshing citrus flavor. This quality is only enhanced by the traditional lemon twist that is used on the rim and as a garnish in a Plymouth Martini. We are living in a great age of Gin. There are new style, old style, new-old style, and avant guard gins being produced across the world. Anyone can find a gin that tickles their taste buds or their pocket books.