“The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.” – Winston Churchill

There is nothing that embodies an extremely simple yet classy cocktail than a crisp, refreshing gin and tonic.

I tend to associate it with a very fond memory: My equally classy adoptive parents. We would have many an evening with a G&T gossiping about everything under the sun… From current events, to growing up in Davao, to the evil boys in the girls’ lives (mine included… Momma once told me to tell a guy in my life to “go jump in a lake”, which daddy punctuated by saying, “no, tell him to go fly a kite”), to kuya’s misadventures (which are too colourful to mention in a blog), to mamita anecdotes, to just assuring me that I am loved.

This is why I’m thrilled the moment gin and tonic became a trend… So much so that there’s a bar dedicated to gin (Bonbon Bar in Legaspi Village, Makati), and even a gin and tonic buffet promo in Gilarmi Bar (Discovery Primea, Ayala Avenue, Makati).

For all its simplicity, however, delving into the world of G&T can be daunting. What makes gin gin? Does tonic water matter?