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FCH: The Rosemary Gimlet

Published: Jul 31, 2020 · Modified: Jan 19, 2021 by Michael Ruhlman · 16 Comments

video by Katherine Guanche

Today's Friday Cocktail Hour features a variation on a most excellent sour, thanks to the protean David Lebovitz, a poem by Matthew Dickman, how to make an infused simple syrup, and the three most important words in the English language and the Russian language. The video is by the excellent @katguanche and videographer @annabellmei218. Thank you all.

The gimlet is a classic sour and a reminder that innovative cocktails are moments away with the basic sour formula: 2 parts spirits, 1 part sour, 1 part sweet. The gimlet is gin, lime juice, simple syrup. A ginger lemon drop would be vodka, lemon juice, and ginger infused simple syrup. A margarita is a basic sour: 2 parts tequila and one part lime juice, one part orange liqueur (Cointreau or Triple Sec).

For a gimlet, do NOT use Rose's Lime Juice, which someone in the 1980s told me was how you made a gimlet and thus made me wonder why a gimlet a cocktail at all. I don't know what the hell Rose's Lime Juice is, but ain't juice that's for sure.

Everything in this video is worthy of increased attention, not least of all the excellent poet Matthew Dickman ("The Mysterious Human Heart" is from his book All-American Poem), and read this amazing New Yorker profile on Matthew and his twin bother by @Rebeccamead_NYC, and perhaps most of all, the Three Most Important Words, which this country needs more than ever.

Cheers and happy Friday everyone!

The Rosemary Gimlet

A variation the classic gin and lime gimlet, via David Lebovitz
4.41 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 1 min
Course Cocktail
Cuisine American, French

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ounces gin
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce rosemary simple syrup (see notes, or video, for instructions)
  • 1 lime wedge or disc for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Combine the liquids
  • Chill with ice and strain into a chilled glass or rocks glass.

Notes

To make rosemary simple syrup: combine ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water and ¼ cup chopped rosemary in a small sauce pan over high heat (the video says ½ cup, which will also work, but I use less). Bring it to a boil, stir and remove from the heat. Let it cool, then strain. this will keep refrigerated for 1 to 2 weeks.
Keyword friday cocktail hour, Gimlet, Gin, rosemary, simple syrup
« FCH: The Rye Old-Fashioned
Friday Cocktail Hour: The Bee's Knees! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. joelfinkle

    July 31, 2020 at 8:25 pm

    Heh - vodka gimlets with Rose's lime syrup were basically all my parents drank in the 70s and 80s.

    Reply
  2. Peter S. Shenkin

    July 31, 2020 at 10:55 pm

    2 stars
    I confess to loving Rose's Lime Juice. Every time I have been given an alleged gimlet without it, I have regretted not having asked for something else.

    Reply
    • Michael Ruhlman

      August 01, 2020 at 2:02 pm

      to each his own! but surely you didn't make the rosemary gimlet and deem it a 2 star recipe. that hurts.

      Reply
      • Peter Shenkin

        August 16, 2020 at 1:07 am

        You are right, I didn't! But I will return after I try!

        So I have to say that my two-stars was for dislike of Rose's. I should have remained agnostic on the drink till I tried it. My bad!

        Reply
      • Peter S. Shenkin

        September 11, 2020 at 10:01 pm

        5 stars
        OK, I hereby revise my rating.

        I just spent a week in Nantucket with friends and when my turn came, I made rosemary gimlets for us. They were a great hit. I even liked them myself. ! 🙂

        One of us likes her drinks "not too sweet", so I started out with half the simple syrup called for. She loved it. Everyone tried it, and there might have been another taker for that modification, but I think everyone else preferred your recipe as written. At least, I did.

        Reply
        • Michael Ruhlman

          September 14, 2020 at 1:18 pm

          thanks peter!

          Reply
  3. Michael Ruhlman

    August 01, 2020 at 2:18 pm

    5 stars
    This is actually one of our household's most beloved cocktails. (I don't usually rate my own recipes, but since Peter can rate a recipe without trying it, then I'm going to counter.)

    Reply
  4. allen

    August 01, 2020 at 6:18 pm

    I have a vague recollection of you using Rose’s lime juice in a Key West drink, I think it was a recipe from a bar.
    I will try make this for my wife, our rosemary plant is in need of a good cut back.
    My only substitution will be the garnish - a small trimmed stalk of rosemary. I think fresh citrus is only appropriate if you live in a climate that they grow in. Less exposure during quarantine, my shelf stable $4.59 gallon of lime juice taste the same after mixing it.
    I’m a big proponent of lemon and lime juice concentrate after many blind taste test with people who couldn’t pick the fresh one.
    There is no difference, especially when mixed with other goodies.

    Cheers and good health all!

    Reply
    • allen

      August 02, 2020 at 6:10 am

      I have enough friggin rosemary to use my entire gallon of lime juice. And after a testing of this drink, I must say it would be a great use of it. Delicious & refreshing.
      Also scrounged up this recipe. I enjoyed this drink years ago.

      https://ruhlman.com/2015/01/30/friday-cocktail-hour-key-lime-martini/

      Reply
  5. Stephanie Senerchia

    August 05, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    Have not been a fan of gin but perhaps I need to expand my horizons. This looks fantastic. Sadly, we have not planted rosemary in many years but thankful for the nearby farmstand. (And I knew what those 3 words would be as soon as you mentioned them.)

    Reply
  6. Stephanie Senerchia

    August 08, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    Beautiful poetry...thank you so much for these.

    Reply
    • Michael Ruhlman

      August 09, 2020 at 3:22 pm

      thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  7. Lorraine L Leber

    September 05, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    5 stars
    This has been my go-to all summer—hits all the right notes for me!

    Reply
  8. Jenny

    October 30, 2020 at 1:36 pm

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe. Felt very fancy even though it was very easy to make. We added an ice cube because it was a strong drink!

    Reply
    • Michael Ruhlman

      October 31, 2020 at 3:40 pm

      thanks for trying! my wife likes hers on the rocks as well.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Friday Cocktail Hour: The Palmetto | Ruhlman says:
    September 25, 2020 at 8:31 pm

    […] a simple but little discussed, eminently worthy cocktail. As I’ve noted before regarding the Gimlet and the Daiquiri, the Negroni and Boulevardier, with most of the classic, classic cocktails […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Michael Ruhlman, an award winning author and trained cook who writes about chefs, food and cooking, among other things.

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