B
O
TTLE SER
VICE
46 JANUARY 2021
Rosy Hibiscus-Gin Lowball
ACTIVE 10 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR; SERVES 1
On the fence when it comes to gin? Try a
sip of this gateway cocktail. Known as sor-
rel in parts of Africa, roselle, the type of
hibiscus used in most hibiscus teas, com-
plements the floral notes of gin, resulting
in a refreshing, balanced beverage. Stir
leftover hibiscus tea into lemonade for a
refreshing nonalcoholic sipper.
ANY FOLKS WILL go dry this month, but if you’re imbib-
ing, consider a different objective: Reintroduce yourself
to that one spirit you’re sure you don’t like. Maybe you
were the overeager college student who treated tequila
like a dietary supplement during spring break; those
memories last. But it’s possible your new favorite liquor
might be just the one you’ve spent the past decade telling everyone you
can’t stand a whiff of.
For me, that’s vodka. But when Sari Kamin, public programs director
at the Museum of Food and Drink in New York, suggested that I use vodka
in her signature anchovy martini recipe, I finally got it. The umami from
the salty fish, coupled with the fat, bonded perfectly with vodka’s clean
flavor. Vodka famously lends itself to whatever you add to it, but in her
cocktail, it somehow became more itself—a launching pad for the splash
of juice from the anchovy container, which when combined with vermouth
becomes rounder, more smooth.
Similarly, when I’ve had friends over who tell me they don’t like gin, I
hear words like “hot” or “bitter.” But the gins I love can be deceptively
earthy and nutty or floral with notes of jasmine. The key is to encounter
gin in the way it was meant to be enjoyed, in a cocktail that enhances what
it does best. For me, that’s a dry gin coupled with bright hibiscus, citrus,
and fresh herbs, playing forward the juniper and warming spices of the
liquor itself. That’s a gin cocktail that feels less like a taste bud curse and
more like a blessing. And we all need a shot of good favor to start this year.
M
VODKA-AVERSE?
Make an anchovy
martini with 5 parts
vodka, 2 parts ver-
mouth, and a large
splash of either cola-
tura or anchovy juice
for an umami punch
that masks vodka’s
spiciness.
TEQUILA-PHOBIC?
Mix 3 parts tequila
with 2 parts triple sec,
the juice of half a lime,
and the juice of half
a blood orange for a
drink that’s citrus-
forward and enhances
tequila’s sweetness.
3 / 4 cup water
1 regular-size hibiscus tea bag (such
as The Republic of Tea)
12 medium-size fresh mint leaves or 6
medium-size fresh basil leaves
2 tsp. fresh lime juice, plus lime
wheel, for garnish
1 tsp. dark maple syrup
3 Tbsp. (1^1 / 2 oz.) dry gin (such as
Bluecoat)
1 Tbsp. (^1 / 2 oz.) Cocchi Americano
Ice cubes
2 dashes orange bitters (such as
Angostura)
- Bring^3 / 4 cup water to a gentle boil in a
small saucepan over high. Add tea bag to
water, and remove from heat. Steep
until desired strength is reached, 5 to 7
minutes. Remove tea bag, and transfer
tea to a small heatproof cup; allow to
cool, uncovered, at room temperature
10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until
completely chilled, about 40 minutes.
- Gently muddle herb leaves in a mixing
glass or cocktail shaker. Add lime juice
and maple syrup; muddle until liquid is
fully extracted. Stir in^1 / 4 cup hibiscus
tea, gin, and Cocchi Americano. Strain
mixture into a rocks glass filled halfway
with ice cubes. Add orange bitters, and
garnish with lime wheel. —O SAYI
ENDOLYN
MAKE AHEAD Tea can be made and
refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
