There’s a restaurant that Marc and I love for special occasions and not only is their food excellent, the cocktails are fantastic, too. It’s a chain restaurant, but stepping into a Mitchell’s Fish Market, you could never confuse it with an Applebee’s. I’m not much of a drinker, but once I tasted what a fine drink they make at Mitchell’s, a whole new world of cocktails was opened to me. One evening, their frequent bartender Barry whipped up something so fresh and bright that I looked at him like he had suddenly acquired a second head. I was amazed. And it was Barry who turned us on to Hendrick’s Gin. This particular gin is infused with cucumber and rosewater and the infusions can take certain drinks to the next level. The flavors are divine in the Cucumber Basil Cocktail I made over the summer. The company’s website is entertaining and I even took a picture of the tag that comes on the bottle because it cracked me up.

It says, "Loved by a tiny handful of people all over the world. Hendrick's. It is not for everyone."

Inside it says, "preferred by 1 out of 1,000 gin drinkers. Which is fine by us, (it's not easy making this stuff)."

They recommend that you garnish this Gin and Tonic with a slice of cucumber instead of lime and let me tell you, it’s like a whole new experience. The fresh scent of cucumber hits you every time you take a sip.

Great Gin and Tonic

Recipe from Mr. Boston

Makes 1 drink

2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin

Tonic Water

Cucumber Slice

1. Fill a highball or collins glass with fresh ice.

2. Pour gin into the glass and fill the rest with tonic water.

3. Stir, if you like, but the bubbly tonic will blend the drink properly.

4. Garnish with a fresh cucumber slice.

I’ve recently discovered and have been digging Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s blog. He’s a master bartender that has tried and true drink recipes. He even shows you how to make your own grenadine and tonic water! I also love his humor and writing style. His article on the 10 Myths You’ve Probably Heard in Bars is an interesting and funny read. He even inspired me to change the name of the Cucumber Basil Martini to a Cucumber Basil Cocktail. The other thing I love about his blog is that the comments his readers leave are almost as interesting as the posts themselves. And maybe one of these days I’ll whip up his recipe for tonic water and make the best Gin and Tonic, ever!