Great British Food Magazine Aug/ Sep 2019 Vorige editie

We really can’t think of a drink (or an item of food for that matter) that has captured the imagination of British shoppers quite as dramatically as gin. A whopping 66m bottles were sold in Britain in 2018 and, at last count, there were 315 gin distilleries in the UK. How far things have come! Up until fairly recently, if you asked for a G&T in some pubs it’d likely come served in a stubby glass with a single, sad cube of ice, but now most establishments will sell pink rhubarb gin in proper balloon glasses. The gin revolution has arrived, and is showing no signs of slowing down! The beauty is that so many of the new distilleries are genuinely innovative makers lovingly hand-crafting something unique to their region. In case you haven’t guessed, this special issue of Great British Food is all about gin in all of its glorious forms. While you’ll find cocktails and homemade spirits aplenty (we'd highly recommend the Oyster martini on p.101), all the recipes in this issue have also been specially chosen to pair well with gin – from rich and aromatic Indian suppers to zingy barbecued meat, mouth-watering seasonal bakes and the tastiest homemade cocktail snacks on p.32. You can even use gin as an ingredient; head to p.40 to discover how to incorporate it in everything from home-cured salmon to fruity preserves. Even if you’re not yet a fan of the punchy spirit, I hope this issue will convince you to give it a go. Bottom’s up!