Gin and Tonic with cheese: modern mixology at the table.

The boom of Gin Tonic today captivates a multitude of consumers worldwide. But did you know that Gin originated from Holland? The word gin derives from a Flemish word: “jenever”. It describes the main product that makes up the Gin, namely, juniper. It was the Dutch physician Dr. Sylvious de Boive who first extracted it from the oil of juniper berries. It served as a medicine to treat various ailments and arrived in England thanks to William of Orange in 1688, who took the spirit with him and replicated it across the sea. Thus began the legend of this alcoholic beverage so loved and sought after.
Today there are many distilleries producing it, although the best ones remain those on London soil. The revolution of London Dry Gin starts precisely from the English capital, an elegant and refined product, clean, from distillation processes with botanical products added during distillation that make it more aromatic and floral.

The Birth of the Gin Tonic

There can't be Gin without pairing it with a quality tonic water. The Gin Tonic is the sum of one quarter of Gin and three quarters of tonic water. It is worth noting that tonic water was created in 1747 by British surgeon James Lind, who conducted an experiment on sailors aboard a Royal Navy ship. Since the lack of Vitamin C was causing scurvy in many sailors, he decided to have them eat a lime every day to resolve the deficiency. It was the salvation of the crews.
Additionally, in order to avoid malaria, an extract from the bark of the cinchona tree, quinine, was used. Thus, tonic water was born to replace contaminated water after long voyages. And so began the use of Gin with tonic water added with quinine and a slice of lime. The modern tonic to which Gin is added.

The Gin Trend

Today, Gin lovers are increasing, and in Italy, there is a real boom. The growth of Gin, according to the report from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, is in double digits. +23% in the UK in 2017. The export of English Gin to Europe has increased by 16%. Spain is the absolute leader. The Spanish market is worth as much as that of Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, and Greece combined. It is noteworthy that Gin in England has surpassed beer in tax revenue.

How Gin is Produced

It is a dry distillate produced from the distillation of a fermented mixture obtained from wheat and barley, with the addition of spices, herbs, juniper berries, plants, and roots. The combination of all these elements is called botanicals.

How to Prepare a Gin Tonic

The recipe for Gin Tonic has never changed since its inception in 1747. To 400 ml of Gin, add 100 ml of tonic water, 1 slice of lemon, and some ice. You can optionally add 2 slices of cucumber or 2 drops of angostura. Fill a highball glass with ice, pour in the gin, top off with tonic water, squeeze in a wedge of lemon, and then garnish the glass with another slice of lemon.

Gin Tonic: Pairing with Cheeses

Gin Tonic increasingly represents a distillate to be used alternatively to the usual post-meal drink. Nowadays, chefs are even using it throughout the meal and Gin appears as an ingredient in many gourmet dishes. Among the foods with which Gin is finding great pairing opportunities, the world of cheeses stands out. In particular, there are blue cheeses and aged cheeses.
The king of cheese pairings we can recommend is undoubtedly the Blu Gins from La Casearia Carpenedo, a gourmet creation you can also find in our cheese selection. A high-quality blue cheese, aged in Roby Marton Gin, highlighting creaminess in a concentrate of typical Gin aromatic sensations.

Another great cheese that pairs very well with a gin tonic is certainly the Zenzerito, a blue cheese that comes from the creativity and aging technique of Giuseppe Bernardinelli, in his aging cellar of Sapori del Portico in Valpolicella. A trilactic cheese (cow, sheep, goat) aged with Ginger, Lime, and Pink Pepper. For this cheese, it is best to use an aromatic London Dry gin with a pimento tonic.

Finally, we recommend a cheese aged with rosemary and sage such as the Cimbro from Corrado Benedetti that matures for six months in contact with rosemary and sage leaves and twigs, thereby acquiring all its aromatic properties.

There are many possibilities for pairing cheeses with gin tonic and many other dishes of Italian tradition, such as pasta in its many variations, including the freshest and summer ones, with truffle, Prosciutto di Parma DOP, aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, smoked speck, and with savory appetizers. It is a new way of conceiving cuisine. A bit more mixology, a bit more contemporary and visionary.