Foodie-in-Training - Gin

"The principal sin, Of Gin, Is, among others, Ruining mothers" (Anonymous, c.1940.) As an ex-pub manager, I pride myself on having tried most things at one point or another (you can't recommend something you haven't tried yourself...), however, Gin and I weren't friends.

To be honest, I think it's mostly the tonic that accompanies it (I can hear hubby scoffing now) so I haven't really ever delved into it. I have quite a sweet tooth, and the bitter notes of Gin haven't ever beckoned, especially when paired with the everpresent Tonic.

So, in the spirit of my expanding foodie horizons, when I came across a Gin Tasting/Afternoon Tea, I lassoed a friend in, and off we trotted to East London.

The history of Gin is really quite interesting and has many rather strong ties to London;
It was found in Holland by English troops who were fighting against the Spanish in the Eighty Years' War who noticed its calming effects before battle, which is the origin of the term Dutch courage.

Gin emerged in England in varying forms as of the early 17th century, and at the time of the Restoration, enjoyed a brief resurgence, mostly because of the relatively cheap price. (Thank you Wikipedia. You are amazing.)

I did rather enjoy the company's ethos "Drink less, drink better." We tried a variety of Gins - from the London Dry variety (one popular one 'Spritzed with Cucumber and Rose which actually was lovely) to the classic BeefEater.

Our host was interesting, and quite entertaining (especially his dislike of English taking over (he was Irish)) but the venue was a little yuck.