Other than wine, there are only two kinds of Beverages in the world, Jameson and Soda on the rocks and Gin.  Anyone can make the former.  Here are clues to the best.

My Perfect Ten Martini

Yield: 1 Serving

Scott Nowell

The perfect cocktail. There are plenty of other versions, but don’t waste your time, this is Perfect.

• 2-4oz Tanqueray No Ten gin
• ¼tsp dry vermouth
• 1stick of Blue Cheese Olives (recipe below)
  

Using a chilled glass, pour a tiny amount of vermouth into the glass. Swirl the glass to coat with a thin coating of vermouth. Pour the vermouth back into its bottle (or discard).

Add Tanqueray No Ten gin to the glass. Pour glass into a shaker filled with ice. Shake well.

Pour martini back into glass. Garnish with the stick of olives.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

Yield: 1 Serving (multiplies easily)

Scott Nowell

• 1oz Blue Cheese
• 3-5Queen olives

Remove pimento with a pick.

Crumble Blue Cheese. Stuff into Olive pit hole. Skewer 3 or 5 onto a martini pick.

Charred Lemon Gin Sparkler

YIELD: 12 Servings

Autumn Giles

For the charred lemon juice:

• 12lemons, halved

For gin rosemary mixer:

• 8(5-inch) sprigs of rosemary, cut in half
• 6TBS sugar
• 2cups gin, such as St. George Botanivore (good luck finding this)
• 1cup charred lemon juice

For each cocktail:

• ¼cup gin rosemary mixer
• 2TBS sparkling wine
• Ice
• Rosemary sprig for garnish

For the charred lemon juice: Preheat a well-seasoned cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat. Add lemon halves cut side down and cook until well charred, about 2 minutes. Let cool then juice, straining out seeds.

For gin rosemary mixer: In a pitcher or quart jar, combine the rosemary and sugar, bruising it with the back of a wooden spoon until you can smell the rosemary. Add the gin and lemon juice and stir to dissolve the sugar. Refrigerate, removing the rosemary sprigs after one hour.

For each cocktail: Fill a glass with ice. Pour in gin rosemary mixer through a fine-mesh strainer. Top with sparkling wine. Stir once. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary and serve.

Cucumber Gin Cocktail

Yield: 2 Servings

Mary Gonzalez & Maddie Gordon / NY Times

This herb-infused rocks drink is fresh, cooling, and thirst-quenching, perfect for day drinking.

• 1English hothouse cucumber
• 5kaffir lime leaves or four 2-inch strips lime zest
• 2tsp raw sugar
• 4lemon wheels, divided
• 4oz Hendricks gin
• 1oz fresh lime juice
• Club soda (for serving)

Using a vegetable peeler, shave 4 long, thin ribbons from cucumber; set aside. Cut a 4″ piece from remaining cucumber and coarsely chop. Muddle with kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and 2 lemon slices in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and lime juice and fill shaker with ice. Cover and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.

Strain into 2 ice-filled Collins glasses. Top off each with club soda. Gently stir to combine; garnish each with 2 reserved cucumber ribbons and remaining lemon slices.

Verde Gin & Tonic

Yield: 1 cup infused gin, enough for 8 drinks

Heidi Swanson / JBF

“While I love the classic gin and tonic, I will sometimes infuse the gin with spices I have out for the rest of the meal preparation.” —Heidi Swanson

• 1cup gin
• 1tsp dried coriander seeds
• 1tsp fennel seeds
• 1TBS torn fresh dill
• Tonic water
• Soda water
• Orange
• Fresh dill sprigs

Place the gin in a clean jar. Use a mortar and pestle to lightly grind the coriander and fennel seeds. Transfer the seeds to the jar of gin and stir in the dill. Allow the mixture to sit for 20 minutes. Strain and return the strained gin to the jar; keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to mix drinks.

For each drink combine 1 ounce infused gin, 1 ounce tonic water, and a splash of soda water in a cup with ice cubes and a couple of skinny orange wedges and tiny sprigs of fresh dill.