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NYC Brunch Spirits

No weekend in New York City is complete without brunch in East Village. Whether you live in NYC or are just visiting don’t let the weekend go by without visiting Union Square shops and stopping by The Winslow located at 243 East 14th Street, New York 10003, just minutes from Union Square.

Bring your mask and enjoy a great brunch or lunch with a friend. The Winslow has a special COVID Menu and is here to help you get your weekend going the right way. Enjoy great prices and friendly service along with a variety of food and drink options. 

The Winslow is a British style gin bar and eatery located near Union Square in between the East Village and Gramercy. A premier gin bar, they offer over 40 types of gin. However, more than that, The Winslow is your neighborhood sports bar with delicious food, amazing mixed drinks and great prices. 

With everything the last year has brought, a lot of people have been at home and haven’t been able to get out and enjoy a wonderful brunch with a friend, family member or roommate. Well, this weekend is the time. Turn over a fresh leaf with the new year and get out and have a fabulous morning or afternoon in NYC. 

Spirits at The Winslow

There are some great drinks and dishes on the COVID Menu that you should try when you visit The Winslow, here are just a few:

Jessica Rabbit

Citrus and floral notes make this one perfect for brunch. It has Brockman’s Gin, Lo-fi Gentian Amaro, lime, and grapefruit bitters with rosebud and hibiscus.

Hot Toddy

The perfect cure for the cold nip in the NYC air is a Hot Toddy! It is made with The Fighting 69th Irish Whiskey, lemon, cloves, honey and hot water.

Beer

If you happen to be stopping in to grab lunch and catch a game, you should have a beer. Try Narragansett brewed in Rhode Island, or have a Wolffer Dry Rose Cider made in New York or a pint of Guinness. 

Plates at The Winslow

  • The WInslow Burger 

The Winslow Burger is a delicious 16oz Pat Lafrieda ground beef blend served with lettuce, tomato and HP-mayo.

  • Irish Onion Soup

A tasty and hearty soup made with Guinness braised lamb, caramelized onions, served with croutons and Irish cheddar.

  • Sweet Potato Fries

A little sweet and a little savory, this superfood makes the perfect finger food to go along with any beer or drink. 

What sets The Winslow apart from other Union Square bars is the elevated dining options that it offers. A weekend brunch is an experience that unites friends and family over fantastic food, elevated spirits and fun conversation. You don’t have to get stuck in NYC in your apartment swing by The Winslow this weekend between 11 and 4 for brunch.

Your safety and well being is the top priority when you dine at The Winslow. The staff is committed to maintaining a clean and safe environment and meeting all government guidelines. We require all customers to wear a mask when not seated at a table.

Some More Light Reading

Plan Your Private Parties of Ten at The Winslow

We’ve all had a rough summer. It’s time to unite and celebrate – something, anything! Plan your next event at The Winslow and give your tribe something to look forward to. The Winslow is accepting private group reservations for parties of ten. Space is limited, so book now while there’s still room. We’re closely monitoring the state’s COVID-19 guidelines, taking every measure to ensure you and your guests can enjoy yourselves safely.

8 Parties of Ten You Should Plan at The Winslow

Whether celebrating an engagement or planning a corporate stress-reliever, The Winslow has something for everyone.

1. Parties of Ten for the Big Game

Bond over your innate love (or hate) with friends at The Winslow. As a British-influenced gin bar in NYC, we enthusiastically cater to European football and rugby. 

2. Colleague Cocktail Parties

Break the tension with the perfect blend of sophistication and casual at The Winslow. 

3. Corporate Team Building

Feel free to bring your own props and decorations. We double as event planners, so we know exactly what you need and how to pull it off.

4. Bridal Showers

You can’t go wrong with tea sandwiches, crostini, and lunchtime bottomless mimosas. 

5. Engagement Parties

As our fans say, The Winslow’s environment is the perfect combination of relaxed, funky, upscale, and creative – exactly what an engagement party needs.

6. Birthdays

Celebrate another year around the sun and eternal youth with a few rounds of drinks and something decadent. 

7. Graduations

The Winslow’s party menu is versatile enough to pull off a graduation party at any time of day.

8. Baby Showers

Our wide range of light hors d’oeuvres is just what you need for planning a baby shower.

How Does It Work?

Who doesn’t love choices? That’s why you have several for booking your parties of ten at The Winslow with whatever aesthetic it demands. We know NYC is expensive enough already. That’s why we’ll never charge space rental fees, and our minimum spend rates are some of the lowest in the city.  You deserve to enjoy yourself at an event – not stress over the budget. 

We make party planning easy:

  • Choose your space, date, time, and guests.
  • Book a reservation and put your credit card on file. (We’ll only charge if you cancel the event within 72 hours of the reserved date.)
  • Minimum spends ranges from $300 to $600. 
  • Let each of your guests set up their own tab through your dedicated server.
  • Everything they order goes to your minimum spend.

If you’d like us to serve food (and why wouldn’t you), just pick your items and let us know within three days. This isn’t your typical bland and sad catering food. Choose from tea sandwiches, mini-potpies, brioche sliders, and more. And yes, we have plenty of vegan and gluten-free selections to please all palates.  

Plan Your Next Intimate Event at The Winslow Gin Bar in NYC

You’re itching to get together with friends. We have the space, cocktails, and food you need to make it happen. We’re taking every precaution to keep you and your guests safe. You can’t go wrong planning your next event at The Winslow.

6 Things to Do in East Village in Fall 2020

Fall is so refreshing and cleansing, isn’t it?

There’s something so cozy about sipping a steamy drink in a cozy sweater while the chilly wind blows. 

You can take advantage of everything autumn has to offer right here in your own backyard. That’s why we put this list of things to do in East Village.

6 Things to Do in East Village This Autumn

What do you love most about fall? 

Maybe watching the earth’s beauty as the leaves change, and the first frost gently grips the leaves? Or maybe you just want to watch the Sunday games with bottomless mimosas – we don’t judge!

1. Take a Date for Bottomless Mimosas and a Stroll Through Gramercy Park

Give your bottomless mimosas an upgrade at The Winslow gin bar in East Village. The Winslow is the perfect blend of sophisticated and casual for a brunch date. If it goes well, take a stroll through Gramercy Park (we’re less than a ten-minute walk). 

2. Snap Instagram Shots of Fall Foliage at Tompkins Square Park

It’s quite a challenge to take a bad photo at Tompkins Square Park – or any of NYC’s beautiful parks for that matter.

Throw on your formalwear or Halloween costume and grab a friend for a fall foliage photoshoot. Because, why not?

3. Curl Up with a Book and Blanket Along the East River

Is there anything better than a new hoodie, comfy scarf, hot tea, and a good book? 

Take the relaxation outdoors before winter’s bitter cold hits. Grab a blanket and chair and set yourself up to read at John V. Lindsay Park while you watch the freighters roll by.

4. Fuel Up with the Best Brunch in East Village at The Winslow

Brunch in East Village at The Winslow has something for everyone. No rubber eggs here. 

Our Executive Chef Nathan Pauley carefully curates the selection with a hint of British and Irish influence. You haven’t had avocado toast, eggs benedict, or a real Irish breakfast until you’ve stopped into The Winslow.

5. Grab Some New-to-You Fall Styles

A list of things to do in East Village this fall wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the area’s incredible vintage shops. Sculpt a fresh fall outfit and see what’s waiting for you.

6. Watch the Game with Some Friends

The Winslow gin bar in NYC is the East Village’s go-to place for rugby and European football. While not an official Arsenal bar, The Winslow plays all Arsenal and Six Nations games. 

Of course, your favorite American leagues are all playing as well. 

Make your reservation now for parties of ten or less. We’ve got a fully stocked bar with tonics and botanicals along with plenty of food that surpasses “good enough” by far.

Create Your Own Fall Traditions at Home in East Village

NYC is a special place to call home with tons of things to do in East Village this fall as we close out 2020. The Winslow gin bar in NYC is here to help you create new traditions with your friends and family (and maybe your most-hated rival fan-friend). Stop in and see us this autumn. Our kitchen is open, and the gin is plentiful.

6 Reasons to Watch Your Favorite Game at the Best Gin Bar in NYC

Don’t you miss the camaraderie of watching The Game at your favorite NYC spot? 

Now’s the time for some new traditions. 

The Winslow isn’t your typical sports bar franchise. In fact, we’re not a franchise at all – and we have no plans to be. 

Because the world doesn’t need another Buffalo Wild Wings or Chili’s: It needs a place where you feel at home with great friends, incredible food, and one-of-a-kind tonics. 

Make The Winslow gin bar in NYC your new home for baseball, football, rugby, or whatever your preferred flavor of competition might be. 

6 Reasons to Grab Your Friends and Watch the Game at The Winslow Gin Bar in NYC

People have congregated to hoot and holler over competitive sports for over 3,000 years. We’ve come a long way from the days of spear and rock-throwing – or have we? 

Keep the ancient ritual alive by gathering a few of your closest friends and creating your own tradition at The Winslow. 

1. You Can Take Your Pick of Any Game

We have several screens – they’re all for you! Just let us know what you want to watch. 

Even if we’re not typically open when your favorite European game plays, let us know ahead of time, and we might be able to work it out. 

After all, we’re a British-inspired pub. While not an official Arsenal bar, we are one of the only gin bars in NYC to stream every Arsenal and Six Nations game.

2. Watch the Morning Game Over Brunch in East Village

A morning NFL game pairs perfectly with bottomless mimosas and brunch in East Village at The Winslow. You’ve upgraded your style since college. It’s time to upgrade your brunch too. 

3. We Can Schedule Parties of Ten

As per COVID-19 guidelines for our district, The Winslow is happy to schedule reservations for parties of ten. 

Text some friends – some new, some old – and let us plan your event. We ooze flexibility, and team decorations are welcome!

4. You Don’t Have to Compromise Quality 

Greasy sliders? Never. 

Our incredible executive chef, Nathan Pauley, delivers top-quality British-inspired creations, specialty flavors, and traditional delights. 

“Good enough” isn’t in our drink vocabulary either. The Winslow’s distinguished cocktails (yes, we have more than gin) integrate seasonal flavors, tonics, and botanicals that keep customers coming back.

5. The Winslow is Sophisticated Yet Laid Back Enough for Everyone

The Winslow is the kind of place where you wouldn’t feel out of place in a suit, but no one will bat an eye if you wear your “going out” athleisure either. 

6. We Serve Plenty of Food

Craving some wholesome duck wings or bangers and mash croquettes? We’re here for you. 

Need something a little lighter like fresh hummus or avocado toast? We’ve got something for everyone. 

If there’s an early rugby game on, you can count on us to have the kitchen open.

The Perfect Blend of Casual and Classy at The Winslow Gin Bar in NYC

Casual enough to let your hair down. Sophisticated enough to invite your in-laws (but only if that’s what you want). Make The Winslow your new sports tradition.

5 Reasons to Impress Your Tinder Date with Bottomless Mimosas and Brunch at The Winslow

Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Grinder – Whatever app you choose, bottomless mimosas at The Winslow are the best way to impress on a first date. b“Do you mean we’ll impress them by the quality of the mimosas or the quantity of how much we can drink?” We’ll let you decide. At $15 with any entrée, you can’t go wrong with endless mimosas.

5 Reasons Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas Makes the Best First Date

The sun is shining. The birds are chirping.  Maybe you’re slightly annoyed by both because you’re still nursing a slight hangover.  Either way, these aren’t the mimosas and rubber egg buffets from your college years.  If they complain about our artisanal dishes and botanical cocktails, you’ll know the date was doomed from the start. 

1. Time is on Your Side

Whether you find yourself on the date of your dreams or nightmares, time is on your side. Start with a single mimosa for $4. If things seem to be going smoothly, upgrade to entrées and the bottomless option. You can even take a nice stroll through Gramercy Park when you’ve had your fill at The Winslow – we’re less than a 10-minute walk away. If the date doesn’t go as you hoped, feel free to blame your departure on our 1.5-hour bottomless mimosa time limit. We’re here for you.

2. Brunch in East Village is the Perfect Medium Between Coffee and Dinner

Coffee dates somehow manage to be simultaneously too professional and too casual. While low pressure, coffee dates almost feel more like a meeting with a coworker than an actual date. Meanwhile, dinner dates in NYC are pricey, and – let’s be honest – often stuffy. Brunch has something for everyone. Will he choose an Irish coffee, bloody Mary, or a gin cocktail? It’s full of surprises.

3. There’s Less Pressure

You know NYC – Dinner in this city is high-pressure. Plus, dinner is naturally intimate: It’s just the two of you at a dimly lit table with a bottle of wine.  That’s a lot of pressure and awkwardness if your date looks nothing like their photos or you two just don’t get along. Brunch is a much lighter affair. 

4. You Can See Each Other’s True Colors 

With less pressure (and more sunlight), the two of you will no doubt have your guards down a little more than usual. Instead of brushing the surface with mind-numbing small talk, you can talk about your favorite classic novel and theories of existence. Or just talk about the crazy NY weather. That’s fine too.

5. Who Doesn’t Love a Whimsical Brunch Spread?

No one wants to tell the kids their parents met at some dive bar where activities of questionable legality are a regular occurrence. Brunch at The Winslow gives you avocado toast and maple syrup so you can have a first date straight out of a fairytale. 

Keeping it Classy with Bottomless Mimosas at Brunch in East Village

Some crowds give brunch a bad reputation. The Winslow changed that. We’re open for brunch with a full menu/bar and ready to host your best first date ever.

Spend the Perfect Day in Gramercy Park with Brunch from The Winslow

With Covid-19 keeping everyone stuck in quarantine, people are itching for an excuse to leave the house. And what better excuse could there be than a lovely walk in the park? Maybe a brunch picnic in the park.

For the past seven years, The Winslow Gin House & Eatery has been serving up a fantastic and boozy brunch to the people of New York. Listed as the 2nd best brunch near Union Square, The Winslow provides a brunch that fills the stomach and warms the heart. With bottomless mimosas, new gin cocktails, and food to die for, The Winslow will keep you coming back for more.

Less than ¼ of a mile away from Gramercy Park, The Winslow is in the perfect location for anyone to stop by, grab a drink, and enjoy the outdoors.

Brunch is Brew-tiful at the Winslow

If you are looking to explore and adventure in New York, then there is no better place to start than The Winslow Gin House and Eatery. 

Are you at your wit’s end trying to find an affordable and tasty brunch in New York? The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is here to save the day. Let’s face it folks, sometimes champagne and waffles are better than cereal and coffee. Beverage Director and GM, Cait Moorhead, and Executive Chef, Nathan Pauley, have developed a brunch menu that will blow everyone away. For comfort food favorites, we have Chicken & Waffles, a Mini Irish Breakfast, and Waffles Bec, all of which are priced under $20.00. Drinks consist of cocktails for $9.00 and bottomless mimosas for $15.00 for one and a half hours of service. 

This killer brunch combination is provided every Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM. All of this you can enjoy at The Winslow in the outdoor seating area or you can take it away for a picnic with friends and family at the historic Gramercy Park.

  • burger and fries
  • chips and salsa
  • to go cocktail
  • cocktail with umbrella
  • corgi gin

Saturday in the Park, Just You and I

There are many parks in New York that are perfect for a picnic brunch, but none quite so perfect as Gramercy Park, which is located less than two blocks from The Winslow Gin House & Eatery.

Located in the Gramercy Park Historic District, Gramercy Park is a beautiful place to sit back and relax during the pandemic. While the park itself is private, its outer regions are popular with joggers, dog walkers, and area residents looking to spend a day in the open air. Founded in 1831 by Samuel B. Ruggles, Gramercy Park is one of the first attempts at City Planning in New York City. Host to several historical events and many of the city’s charities, Gramercy Park is an integral part of our Nation’s past, present, and future.

Gramercy Park, at its core, is the center for good works and good times in New York. If you wish to make some notable memories of your own, stop by with your to-go brunch from the Winslow Gin House & Eatery. It will be a picnic experience you will never forget.

Gin is in the Air with The Winslow’s Outdoor Dining and New Menu

For everyone looking for a break from the isolation and monotony that the Covid-19 pandemic has wrought, The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is here for you.

Located just two blocks from Union Square between 2nd & 3rd avenues, The Winslow is a feast for the senses.  Based on the classic British pub and eatery with a bit of a Spanish twist in the gin and cocktails they serve, The Winslow provides a fusion of classic tastes and new world flavors. Listed as one of New York’s Top 10 gin bars in the city, The Winslow is a must-see for anyone who wants to try something new and exciting in this time of tedium.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has put the world in a standstill, The Winslow is alive and kicking. With new safety measures in place, patrons of this gin bar need not fear infection. 

Patrons will have access to safe outdoor dining and window service, as well as the option to do a contactless pick-up for those who wish to spend the night in. With creative and exciting cocktail creations and menu options, everyone wanting to try something new must stop by.

A Feast Fit for Kings

Gin is an exceptional thing at The Winslow, and it shows in their collection of over 40 different styles and brands of gin. Beverage Director and GM, Cait Moorhead, supplies the Winslow with their seasonal cocktail list that will make even non-gin fans want to try the delicious drinks. 

With great drinks comes excellent food, which is created by the Winslow’s Executive Chef Nathan Pauley. Chef Pauley’s seasonal menu provides diners with a food experience like none other. Cait Moorhead and Nathan Pauley are the dynamic duo behind this year’s fantastic new takeout menu. Their menu includes six new cocktails, seven new gin and tonics, and 10 new entrees that customers are sure to drool over. 

Along with all this, The Winslow offers brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM to 4 PM. Waffles, a Mini Irish Breakfast, and bottomless mimosas, what else could you need? Well, other than an option to make your meal gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan. Which can be done; all you need to do is ask.

Dine-In or Take-Out You Can Never Go Wrong

With the recent option for diners to go back to their favorite restaurants for safe dine-in service, The Winslow is ahead of the game. Needing an escape from quarantine? Stop by the Winslow Gin House & Eatery and grab a seat outside, you’ll get your daily dose of vitamin D and great drinks. 

The Winslow’s outdoor seating provides diners with the ability to relax with friends and family in the summer sun while maintaining social distancing rules in the process. Don’t feel like taking the risk, but still want amazing food and drinks? The Winslow offers contactless pickup, which keeps you and their staff safe during this trying time. 

The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is a must-see for anyone looking for something new and exciting to try in this time of tedium.

Top Five Things to do with Friends This Summer in NYC

We can finally see our friends and family. The question is, though, now that we’re all together again, what do we do? Here are some great activities you and your crew can do together that should keep you entertained amid Covid-19.

Adventure is Out There

1. Learn Recipes for Your Favorite Cocktails

One of the best things about The Winslow is that they are not afraid to share their drink recipes. If You love gin cocktails, The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is willing to teach you, not just about the gin and tonics in them, but how to make them yourself. With tips and tricks to make classic favorites or totally new concoctions, you can never go wrong with The Winslow as your guide.

2. Visit Union Square

With the weather getting warmer and the summer sun shining on us, it’s time to get out and play again. This famous park is a favorite amongst locals and filmmakers. With its large open spaces, dog park, farmers market, and convenient location by many trains, it is one of the best places to spend time with friends during Covid-19. Whether you want to goof around and remake classic film scenes shot in the area or relax and picnic there with drinks and food provided by The Winslow, Union Square is the place to be.

3. Try New Foods

Who in New York has ever eaten a scotch egg? Or an Irish dip? Waffle bec? If you answered no to any of these food items, stop by The Winslow, they have them all, and they are delicious. The Winslow’s new menu offers these items and so many more for those of you feeling adventurous. With outdoor seating that can host you and your many friends as well as contactless takeout, you need not go hungry with The Winslow around.

4. Stream A Broadway Show

For everyone devastated by the closure of theaters across the country due to Covid-19, fear not there is a solution. Broadway has gone digital. With the Disney+ release of Hamilton on July 3rd, the world was blown away by their new ability to access great theater shows from the comfort of their own home. 

Many streaming services, including Broadway’s own BroadwayHD, are now streaming shows, providing audiences with access to over 300 shows total. So, if you are bored watching regular films and shows, host a theater night with your friends. Order some drinks and food from The Winslow, kick back, and enjoy the world of theater.

5. Enjoy a Night Out Together

Many of New York’s Restaurants are open for dine-in service, and The Winslow is the perfect place for large groups to meet. With outdoor seating for groups from 6 to 10 people, you and your friends can gather and catch up on all you’ve missed. The tables are spaced 6ft apart so that you and your friends can dine together in peace without fearing the risk of infection.

We’re All in This Together

With all of these great activities, you will never be bored in New York this summer during the Covid-19 pandemic. So let’s visit our friends and families, and revel with our new found freedom.

Near Stuyvesant Park Lies a Gin House with Room Enough for Everyone

It’s time for some fun in the sun, and with bars and restaurants opening with safety measures in place, we can eat, drink and be merry once again. For everyone wishing to take a break from Covid-19, The Winslow is waiting for you.

Conveniently located less than two blocks from Union Square and Stuyvesant Park, The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is serving up summer fun in a glass for everyone wanting to take a break from there day to day life. This English style bar has outdoor seating, a menu to die for, and a friendly staff ready and raring to serve you and your friends. The Winslow is the only place where you will want to spend time this summer.

For those of you who wish to still enjoy a bite to eat but want to avoid city life, Stuyvesant Park is close by with large open spaces that are perfect for picnics. Pick up food with The Winslow’s contactless takeout option and then head to Stuyvesant to eat and drink with your friends.

Come Celebrate with Your Friends

It’s Summer, and The Winslow Gin House & Eatery is open for business. What to get together with friends? Come on over to The Winslow. 

Under the strict safety regulations in New York, The Winslow has made it safe to dine with them. Whether it’s just you and a friend looking for a beautiful place to eat or nine of your closest friends looking to celebrate the end of quarantine, The Winslow is excited to host you. Their outdoor seating area makes it safe for diners in groups between 6 to 10 to dine together without breaking social distancing rules. For everyone who does not want to risk contact with other diners, takeout orders are also an option. 

Take your Winslow Burgers, cheese curds, and gin & tonics with you as you wander down to your local park and get your daily dose of vitamin D. The closest and best park to picnic in is Stuyvesant Square Park.

Plan to Play and Picnic in the Park

Want to spend some time outside with your friends? Stuyvesant Square Park is a must-see. You can enjoy the afternoon sun there as you dine on scotch eggs and gin cocktails from The Winslow Gin House and Eatery.

With large canopy trees over many of its seating areas and wide-open spaces at its heart, Stuyvesant Square Park is perfect for rest and relaxation. Located in Manhattan, it is one of the few quiet places left in the big city. In 1836 Peter Gerard Stuyvesant, sold four acres of his family farm to the city of New York, provided that the land becomes a public park. This great act of generosity later became the catalyst for Stuyvesant Square Park’s surrounding district to be developed.

We’re all in this together, so let’s go outside and get our daily dose of vitamin D. We can walk to The Winslow, pick up some great food and drinks, and spend our time in the park.

Five Classic Gin Cocktails You Can Make At Home

Remember when drinking alone at home was considered to be an antisocial symptom of greater mental health issues? Enter the year 2020—where we now barely distinguish the daytime robes from the nighttime robes, live with the realization time itself is a social construct, and have a personal rewards system of carbs and gin, because honestly, no one is watching, and nothing matters anymore. Yet, as we are all in this together (the proof of this is in every email sent from a company of which you are on a mailing list) sometimes it helps to have a reference of easy and classic gin cocktail recipes and specs to follow. Now, at least that drink you are having at 10am in 3-day old sweatpants will be quite tasty.

1. Classic Martini

The infinitely quotable Dorothy Parker once said of martinis: “I like to have a martini, two at the very most. After three I’m under the table, after four I’m under the host.” This woman knew herself, and also knew her way around a decent gin martini.

  • 3 ounces gin
  • ½ ounce dry vermouth
  • Twist of lemon

Directions: Fill a mixing glass or shaker three-fourths with ice. Add the gin and vermouth and stir with a bar spoon until nice and chilled. (A good at home hack is to also to put the bottle of gin you are using in the freezer a few hours beforehand) Peel one strip from a lemon and swipe the lemon peel around the rim of a martini glass. Fine strain the contents of the mixing glass or shaker into the martini glass and enjoy. 

This classic version can of course be modified to taste. You can make it dirty by adding a splash of olive juice and swapping the lemon twist garnish for an olive. As in most arenas, dirtiness level is a matter of preference so add as little or as much as you want.  If you want the martini on the dryer side, instead of adding the dry vermouth to the shaker, you can also just swivel a splash of vermouth around the martini glass and dump out the excess. Just chill the gin and pour into the vermouth-rinsed glass. Or, you can go full Churchill, but just stirring the gin while just glancing briefly at the vermouth, but never actually add it. I personally like a botanical heavy gin (such as a St. George Botanivore, Botanist, or Uncle Val’s) as opposed to the classic London Dry style, and I add a dash of hopped grapefruit bitters and garnish with grapefruit peel.

C.M. Moorhead

2. Vesper

Also known as the James Bond martini. I don’t call it this as he famously orders it “shaken, not stirred” which is inherently incorrect. A good bar rule is if the drink you are making is all booze—stir it. Otherwise you just ordered watered down gin, which would probably be embarrassing if found out amongst your espionage community.

  • 3 ounces London dry gin
    • 1 ounce vodka
    • ½ ounce Lillet
    • Twist of lemon

Directions: Add all contents to a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds (or if you admire Mr. Bond too much to deviate from his guidance, you can add to a shaker and shake for 10 seconds)

Vesper specs can vary. I make mine like this, but you can also do 2 ounces of gin as opposed to 3 as to make not so hefty a drink. This still provides a balanced drink while still helping thwart international super-villains.

C.M. Moorhead

3. French 75

Need a pick me up? Add some bubbles. This classic, created during World War I, was named after a French 75mm field gun. Talk about a shot to the head.

  • 2 ounces gin
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup*
  • ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 2 to 3 ounces champagne

*simple syrup is equal parts sugar and hot water stirred well until sugar is dissolved. ½ cup sugar and ½ cup hot water make enough simple for 8-10 cocktails. Simple syrup lasts forever and is a good bar staple to have stocked.

Directions: Add the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and fine strain into a champagne flute or coupe. Top with the remaining champagne. Garnish with lemon peel if you have some leftover from the martinis.

The French 75 is great for daytime drinking or nighttime drinking. It’s versatile like that. If you feel like expanding, I also love adding a splash (about ¼ ounce) of St. Germain. You can also substitute cognac for gin if that’s what you have stocked.

C.M. Moorhead

4. Martinez

Do you want the feel of drinking a Manhattan but can’t handle whiskey? Boy, is this the cocktail for you.

  • 1 ½ ounces old tom gin
  • 1 ½ ounces sweet vermouth
  • ¼ ounce Luxardo Maraschino
  • 2 dashes orange bitters
  • Twist of orange

Directions: add old tom gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds. Fine strain contents of mixing glass into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with orange peel.

An old tom gin is a gin that is slightly sweeter than a London dry, so it was made for a Martinez. This is not to say you can’t use whatever gin you have on hand; old tom is just preferred. For the sweet vermouth I would recommend something like a Punt ‘e’ Mes, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, or Carpano Antica.

C.M. Moorhead

5. Gin & Tonic

Because, let’s be honest, there’s no stirring, no shaking, and the current climate definitely nurtures your instinct to just dump gin in a glass and be done with it. I’m here for you.

  • 1 ½ to 2 ounces gin
  • Premium tonic water to taste
  • Lime wedge

Directions: Pour gin over ice in rocks glass and add tonic to taste. Garnish with lime wedge.

I say tonic to taste, as sometimes you just want a splash, and sometimes you want a refreshing thirst-quencher while sitting on a front porch, you know, when we can go outside again. Limes are the classic garnish for a reason, but feel free to spruce it up with other citrus fruit, or even add some botanicals such as a sprig of rosemary, a leaf of sage, or a pinch of loose chamomile tea.

C.M. Moorhead

A Few Tips On Hosting An Event

Also, if you’re interested in any ideas as to how you may be able to host an event at home, table setting ideas with regard to brunch, dinner, etc., check out this article Hosting Tips: Everything from Table Settings to Entertainment which has a lot of great ideas and concepts.

I hope these recipes and tips help, and cheers. It has to be 10am somewhere.