Gin and Tonic

like Nick and Nora

Nick and Nora Charles had more cocktails a day than are served in a night at every bar in downtown Denver combined.

They were the stars of the “Thin Man” movies, a series about a former detective and his intelligent wife solving crime, and one of the most beloved couples ever to grace the silver screen. They were charming, witty, had excellent banter, and represented the other half to cinema-goers of the 1930s when much of the population was down and out.

And the best part? They start off the movie already married. I’ve always found it frustrating that marriage always seems to be the end of the story. Why not the beginning? Or at the very least the middle.

The first “Thin Man” film begins, after a wonderful scene setting up the cast of characters and suspects, with Nora being dragged into a gin-joint by perhaps the most famous dog who ever lived — Asta, a fox terrier with as much personality and charm as his owners. Lassie gets second-billing to Asta if you ask me. Nora finds her husband there and asks him how many martinis he’s had. Six, he replies. Alright, she says to the waiter, one martini already in her hand. Bring me five more, she says, and line them up right here, she points one, two, three, four, five in a row in front of her on the table.

They were the gin to each other’s tonic. And the best part was, you could never tell which was which. Nora was always right there with Nick, whether he thought it was safe for her or not. All the elements of a delightful marriage are there — they protect each other, but they trust each other; they mock each other, but they respect each other. One is never ahead of the other. Instead, they spend the films walking arm in arm, Asta pulling just slightly ahead.

They represent a beautiful camaraderie. And they’re some of the best onscreen hosts you’ll ever see, always with a fully-stocked bar cart and a silver tray of freshly mixed martinis.

One of my favorite moments in the series comes from that first film. Right before Nora is dragged into the bar, we’re introduced to Nick. The camera rolls through a sea of dancers hopping to some jazz tune and stops on Nick’s back as he holds a cocktail shaker.

You see, he says, the important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you shake to foxtrots, he says. A Bronx to a two-step. But a dry martini, he concludes with an air of definite finality, you always shake to a waltz.

The Golden Age of Cocktails, as it is often referred to, spanned a long period of American history from just-pre-Civil-War to the start of Prohibition, and most of the most iconic cocktails were developed during that time either in America or across the pond.

People like Ernest Hemingway were drinking daiquiris (although back then they were sans red dye and syrups) and Winston Churchill’s mother is said to have invented the original iteration of the Manhattan. You can read more about this fascinating time in the history of mixology in a wonderful NPR article here. It goes on to share recipes for more authentic versions of popular cocktails. It also has a section on the rise of theatricality in cocktail mixing, most of which arose from one bartender in the 1860s who mixed drinks with a white rat on each shoulder and liked to set his drinks on fire.

Cocktail culture is making a comeback. Many homes (mine included) sport a stocked bar cart. Part of this comes from a look to the past, to the Old Hollywood days of cold martinis and gold lamé dresses. For me, part of this return to cocktail-making came out of necessity. It’s much more expensive to show up to a party with enough wine to share than it is to come bearing rum and Cokes for all.

Regardless of your reasons, I’m willing to bet that the last time you went to a restaurant, you at least considered ordering a martini (shaken not stirred) instead of a glass of wine.

If you’ve been wanting to dip your feet into mixology, here’s a good place to start. I’ve included a recipe for a Preserved Citrus Paste that can be stirred into many different drinks and keeps for over a year. I’ve also included basic recipes for two other drinks with ideas for mixing it up even further. I hope you enjoy these drinks with friends, black cocktail napkins, and some good old fashioned jazz playing in the background.

Preserved Lime-Grapefruit Paste

You will need:

6 limes

1 grapefruit

1/2 cup salt

What to do:

Scrub the fruit well, making sure to remove any stickers. Cut off the very ends on each side (no more than 1/2-inch) of the limes. Slice 5 of the limes into 1-inch thick wedges. Sterilize a pint-size jar by submerging it in boiling water for 10 minutes. Layer the lime slices in the jar, putting a layer of salt in between each lime slice layer. Use a wooden spoon to press the limes down after every layer. This will compress the limes, making room for more slices and also releasing some of the juice.

Squeeze the remaining lime and the grapefruit using a citrus juicer. Pour enough juice into the jar over the slices to completely cover all the lime slices.

Cover the jar with the lid, making sure it’s fully sealed. Store it in a cool place on your countertop. Flip it upside down once a day for 3 days so that the salt and juice gets evenly distributed around the jar. After 3 days, put the jar in the fridge for two weeks (you no longer need to flip it).

After two weeks, rinse the lime slices to remove excess salt. Pour out the juice from the jar. Juice half of one grapefruit. Purée the slices in a food processor or with an immersion blender, adding the grapefruit juice as you purée to reach the desired consistency. This paste can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 year.

Hem’s Daiquiri

You will need:

2 ounces rum

1 ounce citrus (or 1 teaspoon Preserved Lime-Grapefruit Paste)

3/4 ounce simple syrup

What to do:

As I learned from Golden Age Cocktail Queen Natalie Jacob in her book “Mod Cocktails”, all you need to know to make any good cocktail is the ratios. Above are the ratios for a traditional daiquiri, the kind Ernest Hemingway would’ve loved. Use your favorite kind of rum and incorporate the Preserved Lime-Grapefruit Paste for your own twist on this traditional drink.

Simple syrup is made by combining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup of hot but not boiling water and stirring it in a heatproof container until the sugar is totally dissolved. It can be stored covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Add elements to a shaker with ice. Strain into a coupe glass.

The African Queen

from “Mod Cocktails” by Natalie Jacob (page 14)

You will need:

1 1/2 ounce white rum

1/2 ounce calvados (also known as French Apple Brandy. Apple juice can also be subbed for this!)

1 ounce fresh lime juice

3/8 ounces Orgeat (Liber & Co makes a great one!)

3/8 ounces cinnamon syrup

What to do:

In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, calvados, lime juice, orgeat, and cinnamon syrup. Fill with ice, shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Natalie Jacob named this cocktail after the classic adventure film starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, which in turn, is named after the boat they travel on in the film, “The African Queen.”

Gin and Tonic

You will need:

2 ounces gin

4 ounces tonic water

1 ounce lime juice (or 1 teaspoon Preserved Lime-Grapefruit Paste)

What to do:

This, one of the simplest cocktails to make, is made even better with the Preserved Lime-Grapefruit Paste. If you’re not feeling citrus, you can absolutely make this with just gin and tonic. My favorite gin comes from Mythology, a distillery in downtown Denver. You can buy it here or at their location.

Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the gin and paste, stir slowly. Add the tonic water and gently stir again.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings on one of my favorite topics — Old Hollywood. I hope you watch “The Thin Man” movies and love them like I do (I only fully endorse the first two, but the third one is also pretty good. After that they go off the rails like so many fourth through seventh movies in a series do). Paying subscribers can tune in next time for a story on bone-chilling cold and the soup that warms you all the way through. If you know anyone who would like this post (or Food & Fodder in general!) please share!

Juliana Nicewarner