Put Mom in a Sling – A Gin Sling

Mother’s Day is, before all else, a celebration of plenty. In the ancient world, when spring was reaching its height, the Greeks held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele. They were known as the Phrygian Orgia, and were exactly what they sounded like, involving tambourines, torches, ox-eating lions and wild dancing in the forest. Nowadays in South Florida, we prefer honoring mom with a bouquet and maybe brunch.

A more adventurous Miamian might arrange a backyard mimosa buffet. The true Biscayne tippler, however, knows that the path of motherly wisdom leads to gin.

Gin was once called “pleasant medicine” by its fans (and “mother’s ruin” by its detractors), and it’s still often thought of as something too strong and too bracing for a light-hearted occasion. It’s a piney concoction, puts hair on your chest, another dash of bitters, what-what, am I right? Well, yes, but gin also has a long, somewhat overlooked tradition as a gently entertaining beverage. Beyond the gin and tonic, there’s a classic family of cocktails dating back to the 1700s if not earlier: gin slings.

Slings are fun. And they’re so simple, you can serve dozens of varieties at once.

George Washington’s gin sling consisted mostly of lemon and nutmeg, mixed with a portion of gin and water, either hot or cold, and a spoonful of sugar. Over time, that transmogrified until Raffles Hotel bartender Ngiam Tong Boon gave the world the Singapore sling. Named for the city in which it was created, it consists of gin, three kinds of fruit liqueur, pineapple juice, grenadine and lime. It was a sweet, strong drink enjoyed by men and women alike at a time before Prohibition, when proper ladies weren’t seen drinking in public. A drink, that is, that broke down barriers.

Between the Revolutionary War era and the tiki bar staple, there’s a lot of room for discovery. You can make a simple sling with gin, water (bubbly or still), a wedge of lemon or lime, and a fruit syrup. Stir well and pour over ice.

The fruit syrup is the secret weapon here: easily made at home, yet sophisticated on the palate. It sings out, “Spring is here!” in whatever melody you choose. Set a bar with an iced bottle of gin (try Death’s Door, Citadelle, or Whitley Neill Original if you can find it), two bottles of club soda, a handful of lemons, and two or three carafes of different syrups, and you’ll have a celebration to remember. (Teetotalers can even skip the gin and still get in on the fun.)

Here are a trio of fruit syrups ideal for sling making. Use these as models for any flavor combination can imagine.

STRAWBERRY SYRUP

INGREDIENTS

·     8 ounces sugar

·     8 ounces water

·     8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

·     1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD

·     Stir sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat until entirely melted and bubbling.

·     Add strawberries and hold at a low boil for two minutes before lowering heat and simmering 20 minutes; remove from heat, add lemon juice.

·     Strain strawberries out without crushing them (save them for stirring into yogurt or as a dessert topping) and chill syrup in refrigerator. This technique also works with blueberries, mangoes, lychees and carambolas.

HERBAL HONEY SYRUP

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces honey (orange blossom is especially nice)

8 ounces water

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

1 pinch salt

METHOD

·     Stir honey and water together in saucepan over high heat until boiling; turn off heat, add dried herbs and salt, and allow to cool (about 20 minutes).

·     Strain through cheesecloth or fine fabric in a colander, discard solids and chill syrup in refrigerator. This technique also works with dried lavender, thyme, basil, oregano or culinary roses (find them at an Indian or Middle Eastern grocery).

PAPAYA MACERATION

INGREDIENTS

·     1 large papaya, diced and seeded (around 1 1/2 cups)

·     1/2 inch ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced

·     3 allspice berries

·     2/3 cup demerara sugar

·     1 pinch salt

·     2/3 cup water

·     1/2 ounce neutral spirit (Everclear or vodka)

METHOD

·      Place papaya, ginger and allspice berries in a saucepan, coat well with sugar and salt and leave covered for at least 3 hours (overnight if possible), until sugar draws out juice and begins melting.

·      Add water and cook over medium heat until all sugar has liquefied; strain, add spirit and chill syrup in refrigerator. This technique also works with pineapples, plums, pears, cherries, cherimoyas, lychees and apples.