A minty, citrusy, refreshing gin cocktail.
The South Side is a beautifully refreshing gin cocktail. It's minty, it's citrusy and it's a great cocktail as we transition into springtime and some warmer weather.
The history of this Prohibition cocktail is cloudy. Some believe that it originated in the South Side of Chicago and may have been popular with Al Capone and his South Side gang. It's believed that the mint and citrus were added to disguise the bad flavors of the South Side mobster's bootleg hooch. The gin of the North Side was said to be of better quality and thus served in other ways. Others believe that its name derives from the SouthSide Sportsman's Club on Long Island where club members were served "a Tom Collins with mint". The drink was popularized when it was listed on the menu of the famous speakeasy the 21 Club in New York.
The first iteration of the South Side can be found in Huge Enslinn’s book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” which is traced to 1916. Listed as the South Side Fizz the cocktail calls for gin, lemon, lime, sugar, mint, and soda. Later recipes, and how we know the South Side today, omit the soda and call for either lemon juice or lime juice.
Regardless of where it originated or how it is made today the refreshing South Side cocktail is worth trying out!
RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
2 oz. gin
3/4 oz. lime (or lemon)
3/4 oz. simple syrup
mint leaves
garnish: mint leaf
DIRECTIONS
Before you build your cocktail, you'll want to prep your glassware. This cocktail will be served up, in a coupe. Ideally, you'll want your glass to be chilled so that your cocktail will remain cold for longer. If you're planning ahead, you can place your cocktail glasses in the fridge or freezer so that they will be chilled and ready to go when you are. If you're planning to make your cocktail now, fill your glasses with ice and water while you prepare the cocktail. By the time the cocktail is made, your glasses will be perfectly chilled.
This cocktail will be built in a shaker. In the shaker add the gin, lime, simple, and a pinch of mint leaves. Add your ice to the shaker, seal the shaker, and give your ingredients a good hard shake. Strain the contents of your shaker through a fine-mesh strainer and into your glass. Garnish the cocktail with a mint leaf.
Last but not least, enjoy!
MODIFICATIONS & TIPS:
As this cocktail has been historically made with lemon or lime juice, either citrus can be used. As with any cocktail, freshly squeezed citrus will yield the best-tasting cocktail.
To muddle or not to muddle? A lot of recipes will tell you to muddle (gently mashing herbs or fruit to release the juices) the mint. Personally, we don't think it's necessary. Most home bartenders may not have a muddler and with something like mint, the ice in the shaker provides enough force to crush it and release its flavor.
Before you place the mint leaf on your cocktail as a garnish, gently smack the leaf in between your hands. This will gently flatten the mint leaf and express the mint's natural oils allowing for that refreshing mint aroma to waft from your cocktail and enhance the drinking experience.
Variations of a South Side include the South Side Fizz (addition of soda water), the East Side (addition of cucumber), or the Gin Gimlet (omission of mint).
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