Cocktail Recipe: Snow in Spring

• April 20, 2023
• Cocktails

A cocktail for days that oscillate between bright and sunny, and grey and snowy

By Erin Henderson

In summer, gin and tonic is my go-to drink. Bright, fresh, and dangerously easy to drink, quality G&Ts have a spritzy citrusy note and a refreshing herbal kick that both cool and enliven a parched soul.

Naturally, when Toronto experienced an early burst of unseasonable, near-30-degree heat in April, I took to my patio with my trusty cocktail to celebrate climate change. And the band played on.

But, as soon as the warmth hit, it was gone just as quickly. Relinquishing power to the grey skies and wet snow more suitable to southern Ontario at the start of spring, the air chilled with heavy damp. G&T’s were about as appropriate at cocktail hour as a gauzy sundress.

As spring in this part of the world would like to have it, bright sun plays tug-of-war with heavy clouds, and warming rays jockey for position with drizzling rain. Hot-cold-hot-cold is the name of April’s game. Annoying for wardrobe choices, frustrating for drink options.

So I came up with this little number. A hybrid of a gin and tonic, gimlet and martini. It blends the buoyancy of summer, with the weight of winter. I call it Snow in Spring.

Snow in Spring

I just wrapped up a cooking course where my instructor repeated 48 times a class that, "time is a construct!" Meaning, that even though the recipe says something will be cooked in 20 minutes, it's a guideline only and as the chef, you must gauge whether that is true.

Cocktails – like food recipes – are highly personal. The success depends on many factors, not the least of which is personal taste. The flavour of your gin, vermouth, and your preferences to tart or sweet should influence how you build this cocktail. Start with this recipe and measurements and adjust as you see fit. 

Serves: 1
Bartender level: easy

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz gin
• ½ oz white vermouth
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 tsp simple syrup, optional, to taste
• Tonic water, for topping
• Citrus wheel, for garnish

How to Make It: 

Into a rocks glass filled with ice, place citrus wheel along the side of the glass. Add gin, vermouth, lime, and optional simple syrup. Stir gently to combine. Top with tonic water.