It seems every bearded boy is making either a gin or an over-hopped beer these days. Both drinks have come back from the dead rather; not so long ago the only gin you’d see around was Gordon’s and the only person who drank it was your grandma, who may or may not have had a beard. Or tattoos.
Now the gin market is flooded, soused, pickled even with all kinds of gins and the choice is getting overwhelming. No doubt the bubble will burst soon enough and only the big brands will be left or at least only the ones with strong brand backing. Gin Mare will almost certainly be one of those.
The word Mare comes from’sea’ and this is gin born in the Mediterranean and not East London, with a distillery in an ancient fishing village between the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada and botanicals from around the Med such as Basil from Italy, Thyme from Greece, Rosemary from Turkey and Citrus fruits from Spain. And the Arbequina olive, of course.
Right now Pizarro restaurant is featuring a Gin Mare menu, of which Jose kindly set up a tasting for us, with first a perfect Gin Mare G&T to get the taste buds going.
The food was as to be expected, excellent. The menu is below as well as mixing instructions for some great Gin Mare concoctions.
Check the Pizarro website for dates of the Gin Mare menu.
Perfect G&T
50ml Gin mare
125ml 1724 tonic water
2 slices of mango
2 grinds black pepper
Served in a Copa glass
White: serve cold
35ml Gin Mare
25ml dry vermouth
25ml lemon juice
20ml melon syrup
top off with sparkling water
garnish with olive
Red:
35ml gin mare
15ml Merlet creme de cassis
70ml Darjeeling tea
5ml tannic acid solution
Alexander
40ml gin mare
20ml creme de cacao blanc
20ml dbl cream
20ml milk
small sprig of rosemary, shake up strain into coupette
Gin Mare Menu
Iberico charcuterie selection
Pan con tomate
Bermondsey Bomb
butifarra heart, spiced tomato, rosemary allioli
Requeson salad
Bigarrade gin dressing, roasted piquillo and pecan nuts
King Prawns a la plancha
Jamon dust and Pomada foam
Presa iberica 5J 100% acorn fed
Baked potatoes, piquillo butter and padron peppers
Green Salad
Mint and honey dressing
Gintónica – The Dessert
Juniper sponge, olive powder, lemon and thyme sorbet, basil syrup