Thursday, March 19, 2020

The classic Gin and IT cocktail (I do believe the IT stands for Italy, home of sweet vermouth) calls for 1 1/2 ounces of gin, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, and a dash of citrus bitters.  (I actually made it with grapefruit bitters.) Stir with ice, and strain into a glass with fresh ice.  This cocktail was popular as early as the 1880s, and was called a Sweet Martini.

Cheers to my Italian and Polish friends, celebrating tonight at home.  St. Joseph is a favorite of both cultures, and many communities celebrate with parades and parties, and by “the wearing of the red,” since red is found in both the Italian and the Polish flag.  My salute comes in the form of a red swizzle stick and a red sweatshirt that I wore while “working” at home.  The cocktail looked good next to my laptop.