Oy, Limey, I'm a Gimlet but I need a Canuck

Back in 1867, Lauchlan Rose patents a lime cordial for the British Navy in hopes of cashing in on a regulation requiring all British ships to provide sailors with a daily lime ration to prevent Scurvy. It's discovered, one assumes by the Anchor-Krankers nicknamed, "Limeys," that this cordial, 'Rose's Lime' goes well with a little gin and a splash of water.

When my grandfather was offered a highball by Uncle Tony, a gin gimlet on the rocks was pretty much what he got. Not sure if I associated gimlets with my elders or not but it's a cocktail I have when I'm hanging out with the seniors. Usually at a Supper Club in Door County, Wisconsin with one of those big horse shoe shaped bars and an all you can eat Friday Fish Fry. They whip up a decent Whiskey Sour as well but that's another post.

Troops of the 21st Infantry Division Regiment were nicknamed, 'Gimlets' back in 1921 after a tool used to bore through rock for placing TNT. Their motto was, 'Bore, Bother Bore.' Alain Sitbon, owner of Le Petit Paris in Chicago, nicknamed me 'Pepper Grinder.' When I asked why, Alain held an imaginary pepper grinder in both hands and twisted his fist, "Because, Johnny, you never stop with the criticizing." Alain twists his pepper grinder, "You go on and on and on..."

A gin Gimlet can pack a punch. 3 ounces of gin to an ounce of Rose's Lime in a shaker. A cup of ice, shake, until you think your gonna get frost bite, and strain into a martini glass. Some people garnish with a lime or mint. I'd use more Rose's if I could convince a Canuck to send me a bottle or two. US made Rose's has fructose corn syrup and it's very sweet. Brits and Canadians use sugar. Cleaner and brighter which is pretty much what Brits and Canucks think of themselves.

I recently tried a Bacardi Gimlet. Rounder and smoother than gin. More character than vodka. Use the same portions as gin and try to find the connection between this post and yesterday's Lolo & The Bar-Kays. There's another giveaway and test question next week.




And, if you find yourself in Chicago, check out Le Petit Paris. Tell Alain 'Pepper Grinder' sent you...and ask him why he's always out of Montrachets, when he's gonna stop comping Jesse Jackson, why he took my picture down, where's the Dover Sole...

Chartwell Booksellers

55 East 52nd Street - In the lobby















Writer, Churchill-expert and owner of Chartwell Booksellers (see above), Barry Singer has a new book out. 'Churchill Style' is a primer of Churchill's food, wine, cigars, women, books and good country houses. Churchill is what John Fairchild would call, "A Civilized Man." I admit to never reading Churchill but I have read a couple biographies.

Somewhere in those books... or was it a London pub? -- I heard my favorite Churchill quote: "The definition of a Greek -- is a Turk -- trying to be an Italian." Singer made my day, hell, he made my year, by confirming that attribution. But - he saddles the famous Lady Astor/ Churchill rebuff, "I may be drunk, madam, but in the morning I'll be sober and you'll still be ugly" to Sir Frederick (F.E.) Smith, a close friend of Churchill but not of his wife, Clementine, "who believed him to be a bad influence on her husband as a drinker and as a gambler. He was, however, in every sense, Winston's equal."

In appropriating a style - you could do a helluva lot worse - Joe Stalin and Mao Tse Tung come to mind. Those Commie world visions have clearly soared off course as their descendants grab capitalism like a gibbet around a neck while making JP Morgan look like a girl scout selling do-si-dos outside a grocery store.

But Churchill is still English and the English are still Churchill. Thank God.

I'll review the book tomorrow. It's perfect for Father's Day. Even if Dad has to buy it for himself. Beats the crap out of a tie -- Unless it's a navy polka dot bow tie from Turnbull & Asser. Bloody hard to go wrong with that pairing.

Si Anglais

The book is in French. 'Old England' is a store in Paris that was established by the Henriquet family in 1867. The family still runs it today. And while my French is limited to wine bottles and the menu at Le Veau d'Or -- I get this. Man, do I get this.

Update: A reader pointed out in the comments section that Henriquet no longer owns Old England. Sold in 1999 to Richemont, parent of Cartier and sold by Richemont to a group of investors in 2006, Old England has been sold again to Albert Goldberg, owner of Faconnable.