Gin Fizz

There are those days when you need just something else. Something that is out of the ordinary and reminds you of a time, long gone, like a vacation in Verona, Italy, a cocktail to be had after the opera like La Traviata, which ended at 1am and the dinner following the opera, and yes, the Gin Fizz was at 4am, with your circle of friends. But it was summer and vacation, and yes, maybe you had a Gin Fizz before the opera, too. Today I needed escape, 3 of my 4 cats are sick, the 1 year old flat panel tv died on me and there is too much work. I don’t like gin at all, but seeing a tiny bottle in the local liquor store reminded me of the summers long gone. Yes, Gin Fizz.

• 2 oz gin
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 TB caster or any kind of sugar
• ice cubes
• soda water (or regular water if soda water requires another grocery trip).

Add the lemon juice to a glass first, mix in the sugar and stir well. Add the gin, the ice cubes, and fill up with (soda) water. Welcome Italian memories!