Master barman par excellence Tony Abou-Ganim makes the case for adding classic gin cocktails to any bar menu.
Long before James Bond uttered one of the most famous orders of all time, “Vodka martini, shaken, not stirred,” gin was the prince of white spirits. As a matter of fact, gin reigned supreme in the white spirits category until 1967, when vodka surpassed it. Gin is the king of classic cocktails and the spirit at the heart of the quintessential cocktail: the perfect dry martini.
Apart from skilled and curious mixologists, who else knows about bitters, that underappreciated collection of “secret” potions on the backbar? Within this category are complex spirits that stimulate the appetite, aid digestion, and
At San Francisco’s Spruce, a reverence for the past and for breaking new ground is evident from the two cocktail lists, Classic and House, to the decor. Spruce is housed in a former 1930s auto barn with a tall entrance arch to accommodate Model-T cars. On one side is a small gourmet take-out shop, Caffe at Spruce, which also houses the espresso service. Across the entrance, a smallish library room serves as a waiting area or private party lounge.
