Here’s to Mom!

BY JIM MATHIS

OK, so once in a while, I veer away from food and into the beverage category, and with Mother’s Day coming soon, I got to thinking about Mom, and that made me think of her beverage of choice: The Noble Gin & Tonic. I think I’m genetically inclined to enjoy a G&T; As mentioned, mom is fan; my dad was a fan and even my uber-conservative brother enjoys a gin and tonic every now and then. My sister leans towards the Moscow Mule; what can I say, she’s always been a little different. Yes, my beloved and I named our dog Tonic. Jim and Tonic, get it?

So what makes a gin and tonic special? First, it’s cool and refreshing, perfect for a summer afternoon. Second, it’s easy to make; a jigger of gin over ice, fill with tonic and garnish with lime. Simple. But most importantly, it’s medicinal. Yep, the classic G&T was created to protect against malaria. In the late 1700s the army of the British East India Company discovered that quinine (that’s the stuff that makes tonic water tonic water) could be used to treat malaria and helped protect against the disease. Around 1825, a few really smart officers discovered that the bitter tasting medicine was a whole lot more palatable when it was mixed soda water, sugar and gin. The Brits truly are brilliant. Suddenly “time to take your medicine” became “Happy Hour!”

So what the heck is quinine? It comes from the bark of Peruvian Cinchona trees. Lucky for us, you don’t need one growing in your backyard, because there are several really good tonics on the market now. Look for brands like Q Tonic, Fentiman’s and my personal favorite Fever Tree. These are all made using real quinine and natural sweeteners and make a really good cocktail. I tend to avoid the Schweppes, Canada Dry and stores brands. Yes, I know they’re the tonics I’ve been drinking for most of my life, but they are overly sweet. These newer brands are remarkably better. Since you’re going to buy a decent bottle of gin, you should also buy a decent tonic.

So how do you know if you got a good tonic? Take it outside and pour it in a tall clear highball glass on a sunny day. See that slight bluish glow in the glass? That’s the quinine in the tonic water. Quinine is naturally fluorescent in UV light. The more quinine, the more it will fluoresce. The good stuff looks pretty cool, the cheap stuff looks like bubbly water.

About that gin; yes, I’m a purest and I like my tonic with gin. Many people like vodka, bourbon or even tequila with their tonic, and that’s OK. I even have a friend known for ordering Jack and tonic (as in Jack Daniels). But in my opinion, vodka lacks the flavor to stand up to tonic; bourbon does better with sour, and tequila, well, save that for the margaritas. I know some will tell me they don’t like gin because “it tastes like I’m drinking a Christmas tree,” and yes, some gin can overpower with the smell and taste of juniper. But if that’s what you think of gin, you need to try some of the newer spirits on the market.

Hendrick’s Gin has become quite popular over the last few years and it doesn’t have the pine tree smell. It’s got a much gentler flavor, infused with rose and cucumber. I often garnish a Hendrick’s and tonic with a slice of cucumber, which brings out its vegetal quality. Bombay Sapphire is another one of my go-to gins; it has a clean, classic taste with just a little juniper and a nice blend of herbs. My dear mother prefers Beefeater, a classic London Dry Gin, a solid choice for a G&T. Lately, I’ve been enjoying The Botanist, and as the name would imply it’s very fruity and floral. I also enjoy Aviation gin, Ryan Reynold’s brand.

Does the quinine really help with malaria? Well, scientists and doctors say you’d have to drink a whole lot of modern tonic water to get even the minimum therapeutic effects, but in all the years my family has been drinking Gin and Tonic, not one of us has contracted malaria. How do you get malaria? Mosquitoes, and what else do they cause?

West Nile. Will quinine protect against the West Nile virus? It didn’t for me, but maybe I just didn’t have enough! As I write this, I’m sitting on the patio with a gin and tonic by my side and my faithful dog Tonic at my feet. It’s gonna be a good summer, here’s to it!

Do yourself a favor, drink something good today.

When he’s not enjoying a cold refreshing beverage on the patio, Jim runs ADwërks, an advertising agency in Sioux Falls.