A Muddled Thought

Q Tonic in it's purest form..

I recently received a sample of Q-Tonic to try out. In recent weeks I’d heard some very interesting things about how Q-Tonic was the next revolution of tonic, with its natural ingredients including Agave, Peruvian Quinine, lemon juice and bitters. The ingredients remind me of the beginnings of a summer beverage.

The story of Q-Tonic can be traced back to a summer night in Brooklyn when Q-Tonic’s founder, Jordan Silbert discovered that the tonic water he and his friends were using was essentially just fructose corn syrup, something that just didn’t seem right to mix with a good gin.

Jordan believed that fresh ingredients and quality spirits should be paired with a tonic water that is capable of standing both alongside as well as on Its own paired with just a lime slice and some ice.

Flash forward a few years later and after having scoured the world from the Peruvian Andes to the Mexican countryside, Jordan emerged with the recipe for Q-Tonic.

As with all items reviewed at A Muddled Thought, I had to try Q-Tonic without any other ingredients. What I discovered is that Q-Tonic by itself has a mildly sweet yet bitter taste, but pairs well with a dash of fresh lemon juice and ice for a quick summer refresher.

After the stand-alone taste test, I decided to try a few recipes. Some classic and some newly created for this review.

First up a Gin and Q-Tonic-

2 oz of your favorite Gin(We used G’Vine Florision for it’s floral and refreshing flavor)
High Ball Glass filled with Ice
Fill with Q-Tonic
Garnish with Lime Wedge

Between the lightness of the Q-Tonic and the Floral Tone to the G’Vine, this would make for a very refreshing version of a Gin and Tonic for those soon to come summer nights.

Next up is a recipe created to take advantage of the agave that’s used in the Q-Tonic.

Entitled the Mellow Q as it’s refreshing and from the few people who tested this drink seemed to be relaxing as well.(Note this drink was tasted by 2 tasters independent of A Muddled Thought)

The Mellow Q-

1 oz Canton Ginger Liquor
2 oz Partida Blanco tequila
1 oz Agave nectar
3 Dashes Grapefruit bitters
Splash of pineapple juice
Serve in a High Ball Glass that’s been filled with crushed ice
Top with Q-Tonic

The Mellow Q. A combination of Blanco Tequila, Canton Ginger, Agave Nectar, Grapefruit Bitters, topped with Q-Tonic.

Inspired by how well the G’Vine and the Q-Tonic worked with each other, I decided to try something a bit different, adding Absinthe, Mint and Averna. This has been dubbed the “Prohibition T”.

The Prohibition T-

The Prohibition “T”
2oz G’Vine Floraision Gin
1 oz Lucid Absinthe
3 Dashes Averna
Four muddled mint leaves
Shake with Ice
Serve in 4.5 oz Coupe Glass

The Prohibition T. A Combination of G'Vine Florasion Gin, Absinthe, Averna, Mint Leaves topped with Q-Tonic.

One final cocktail, a modified Pimms Cup No.1 replacing the Soda with Q-Tonic.

“Mind your P’s and Q’s” (Pimms and Q-Tonic)

2 ½ Pimms
½ Oz Fresh Lime Juice
3 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters
Fill Highball Glass with Ice
Top with Q-Tonic

Mind your P's and Q's- Pimms No.1 , Fresh Lime Juice, Grapefruit Bitters, and Q-Tonic.

jordan Salcito of Gilt creating the Green and Silver Fizz.

Hidden away in Midtown bordering a few blocks from where the Theatre District starts, is the NY Palace Hotel. Within its walls exists Gilt a 52 seat New-American Restaurant. Playing along side this intimate dining setting is a bar that’s offering up some interesting cocktails to its visitors.

I was recently invited down to exam their Cocktail Program, run by Jordan Salcito.
Throughout Jordan’s career, she’s worked with many culinary greats including Daniel Boulud, and Sam Lipp (of Eleven Madison). Her initial background was in the culinary arts, until she discovered her passion for wine during her time with Daniel. She then went on to both work the harvest in France and then move on to co-manage a wine estate in Montalicino,Italy. It wasn’t until working in a head sommelier position under Sam Lipp that she began to discover her passion for cocktails.

Having heard that Jordan had been only working with cocktails for about a year and half, I was skeptical on what my visit to Gilt would yield. My skepticism was all for naught, the cocktails I experienced were brilliantly executed.

For someone whose background is based primarily wine and the culinary arts Jordan is a genius in the making when it comes to cocktails. The menu she’s put together is comprised of a mix of classics such as the gin and countreau based White Lady, the rum and ginger beer based Dark and Stormy, and some modern creations such as the citron vodka and sake based Lady in Red, the Mezcal and Crème De Violette based Mariposa and the Tropical Mint Julep that’s made using a homemade pineapple simple syrup.

Gilt’s cocktail program seems to get everything right, down to the classic sampling technique of checking each cocktail with a straw that the barkeeps perform before serving each drink. While this is now common in cocktail lounges, you don’t yet come across this being performed at most restaurants.

A sampling of a few of Gilt’s Cocktails.

Tropical Mint Julep-
2 oz-Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1 oz-Pineapple Syrup
Mint
Vanilla Beans
1:1 Fresh Pineapple Juice Simple Syrup with 3 Vanilla Beans

A Tropical Mint Julep. A Combination of Bourbon, Mint, and Pineapple Infused Simple Syrup.

The Lady in Red-
2 oz Strawberry Puree
½ Oz Grey Goose Citron Vodka
1 ½ Oz Junmai Ginjo Sake
Splash of Lemon Juice
Shake vigorously with ice. Top with Champagne.

The Lady in Red made with Citron Vodka, Junmai Ginjo Sake, Strawberries and Champagne.

Jordan mentioned this is Gilt’s biggest seller. It managed to achieve the right balance of sweet and stay refreshing while still being simple in it’s execution.

The Mariposa-

The Mariposa. A Combination of Mezcal, Agave Necat and Violet Syrup.

1 oz of Mezcal (The mescal is balanced with a 1:1 ratio with Tequila)
½ Oz Agave Nectar
¼ Oz Violet Syrup
Serve in with chopped ice in Old Fashioned. Top with Violet Candies.

This drink had the perfect balance of refreshing and spice, and would make a great summer drink, It was reminiscent of a spicy lemonade.

I also had the opportunity to two items that are creations Jordan hasn’t placed on the menu yet.

Taking inspiration from Charlie Sheen’s character on “Two and a Half Men”, Jordan created the “Fickle Bachelor”. A drink comprised of jalapeño infused Woodford Reserve Bourbon, mint leaves and served in an ice-filled highball glass. This drink covers incorporates all aspects of Charlie’s personality, with the drink standing in for the exotic side, and being paired with two sides of simple syrup. One of pineapple infused simple syrup to cover the sweet side, and one side of jalapeño infused simple to cover the spicy side of Charlie. Jordan mentioned that she wanted to give the customer the option play with the flavor of the drink to suit their mood.

2 Oz Jalapeno Infused Woodford Reserve Bourbon
3/4 Oz Pineapple Simple Syrup
2 Broken Mint Leaves

Serve in Highball Glass filled with Ice

Present with sides of

1 oz Pineapple Infused Simple Syrup (The Sweet)
1 oz Jalepeno Infused Simple Syrup(The Spicy)

Note: To infuse bourbon with jalapeño, place one jalapeño pepper in the bottle of Woodford Reserve for a period of no less than one hour.

The Fickle Bachelor with it's side of spicy and sweet.

The second item, which Jordan calls a cocktail geek’s dream is the Green and Silver Fizz. This invention was inspired by The Savoy Cocktail Book, by Harry Craddock. Jordan created the Green and Silver Fizz, an absinthe and gin based cocktail that’s based on Harry’s Rattlesnake cocktail. Jordan’s version replaces the Whiskey that Harry’s recipe had with Gin, and adds edible silverleaf and a stripe of Angostura Bitters.

The Green and Silver Fizz. A Combination of Gin, Absinthe, Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice and Cava.

The Green and Silver Fizz
1 ½ oz Tanqueray 10 Gin
¾ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
Combine all ingredients and dry shake(no ice).
Add Ice and then shake a second time.
Pour into a Champagne Glass that’s been rinsed with Kubler Absinthe .
Top with Cava or Champagne
Place a small piece of edible Silver Leaf(If Available)
Drizzle a stripe of Angostura Bitters

A closer look at the Silver Leaf and Stripe of Angostura Bitters.

Harry Craddock’s Original Rattlesnake Recipe-
1 ½ Blended Whiskey
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
½ Teaspoon Powdered Sugar
1 Egg White
Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

The Bar at Gilt NY.