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Gin and tonic Wikipedia

Image:Gin and Tonic.jpg|thumb|Gin and tonic

The gin and tonic is a cocktail made with gin and tonic water, usually garnished with a slice of lime (or, more rarely, lemon).

A gin and tonic is usually mixed with a slice of lime (or lemon) and served over ice. The proportions vary. The typical recipe is for equal amounts (a 1:1 ratio) of gin and tonic water, however it is often made far weaker as a casual drink; typically 1 part gin to 3 parts tonic.

This cocktail was introduced by the British Empire|British in India. Tonic water contains quinine, which was used to prevent malaria. Because the tonic water consumed to prevent malaria in the 19th century was extremely bitter, gin was added to make it more palatable. Although there is less medical use today for the consumption of tonic water, the gin and tonic remains a popular drink. Note that tonic water available today contains less quinine and is consequently less bitter (and usually sweetened). Because of this connection to warmer climates and its refreshing nature, this cocktail is more popular during the warmer months.

The gin and tonic has gained a central place in cultural and literary life, appearing as a bit part in numerous novels. One such example is in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, where it is stated that each race in the galaxy has developed a drink that is pronounced the same, but spelled differently (such as jynantonnyx). The reason for this is one of the great mysteries of the universe (granted, they're almost always spelled differently, and usually the versions from two different planets taste nothing like each other at all).

Last Modified:   2005-12-23