Drinks on Me

 

Last night, I was served a glass of really bad Martini. I’m a fairly simple girl when it comes to drinks. I rarely drink cocktails, and prefer a properly served single malt straight up or on the rocks depending on how happy i feel. But last night, in a sorry excuse if a bar-restaurant in Greenhills I had to suffer through slow service and an uneducated bartender (as far as drinks go anyway)… Punyemas talaga. I tried to teach the bartender how to make a Dirty Martini but to make matters worse, they didn’t even have the ingredients… No green olives, so they served it with black ones, and get this: no effin’ vermouth — eh di sana gin tonic na lang inorder ko!!

 

Any self-respecting drinking woman should know her poison and know how to make a couple of cocktails well at least. I’m no expert but I know the drinks i order. If i order something that i don’t know the ingredients to, i would at least expect my server to be able to tell me— why? Because sometimes ladies and gents, there are ingredients that you should know your body would not agree with, or those you simply dont care for. I have some friends who abhor gin, some who are allergic to rum, and those who just fall asleep with red wine. So, you don’t have to be an expert, you just have to know what works for you. 

 

I’ve taken the liberty of putting together a menu here (with recipes) of some basic mixed, cocktail and highball drinks that I like:

 

1. Your basic Gin &Tonic – I personally like Bombay Sapphire with some Schwepps tonic water. Some prefer vodka though.

 

Ingredients:

2 oz gin

5 oz tonic water

Lime wedge for garnish

 

Preparation: just mix them all up. Some restos may serve the tonic water separately, and you may add as you desire.

 

 

2. Martini (shaken not stirred) 

 

Ingredients:

2 1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1 green olive (or more) for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass or shaker filled with ice cubes.
2. Stir or Shake in a cocktail shaker (how i prefer it) for 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass/martini glass
4. Add a dash of orange or Angostura bitters if desired
5. Garnish with the olive

 

 

 

3. Jack & Coke – seriously, just get some Jack Daniels and some regular Coke and mix to taste… Put in a highball glass.

 

 

 

4. Mojito – the traditional summer drink

 

Ingredients:

3 sprigs fresh mint
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice or 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh
1 1/2 ounces light rum
club soda, chilled

Preparation:

 

In a tall thin glass, crush or muddle part of the mint with a fork to coat the inside.
Add the sugar and lime juice and stir thoroughly.
Top with ice.
Add rum and mix.
Top off with the club soda (or seltzer).
Add a lime or lemon slice and the remaining mint.

 

 

  

Drinks up! Tagay!