This cocktail has all of the flavors of your favorite gin Martini with the added herbals of Kina al Avion d’Or. Plus, the botanicals in the vermouth are enhanced by creating the vermouth syrup. Curl My Toes has become one of “Doc’s Greatest Hits” at parties and Pop Ups.
While making beer syrup standing at the stove stirring, my eyes fell upon an open bottle of vermouth on the counter awaiting its use in cooking. I had read about and tasted beer syrup, but I’d never heard of vermouth syrup. A quick Google consultation confirmed no results. After some experimentation, I settled on equal parts dry vermouth and sugar
To my palate, dry vermouth is more herbal than sweet vermouth. So dry vermouth syrup tastes nothing like sweet vermouth. In this cocktail, the dry vermouth syrup brings a touch of sweetness to offset the bitter Kina and a nice mouth feel.
I have tried this with multiple gins including London Dry’s and the new style herbal gins. I’ve even subbed Kinsmen Rakia for the gin. It all works.
Curl My Toes
- 2 oz. Premium gin such as Uncle Val’s Botanical
- 1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth Syrup – see below
- 1/4 oz. Kina al Avion d’Or
- Fresh herbs such as thyme and sage plus a dried lemon wheel for garnish
- Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
- Add all ingredients, except the garnish to a mixing glass with ice
- Double strain into chilled glass
- Spank the herbs in your palm and float on the dried lemon wheel or on the drink
Vermouth Syrup
- 1 part Dry Vermouth
- 1 part Sugar
- The best way is to combine vermouth and sugar in a blender and blend on high several minutes until the sugar is dissolved. You maintain the flavors of the vermouth if you don’t heat the syrup. But, if you don’t have a blender, you can combine vermouth and sugar in a sauce pan and heat just until the sugar dissolves. Do not allow the syrup to boil.
- Either way, strain through fine mesh strainer into a glass bottle. Keeps refrigerated for about a few weeks.
Cheers!
