Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

I confess: I should have posted about the Gibson Martini (or simply, “Gibson”) before now, but in my defense, it’s such a trifling riff on the classic Martini that it hardly bears its own post—until now. A Gibson is nothing more than a Martini with a pickled onion garnish instead of the more traditional olive or lemon peel. <Insert boilerplate rant here that Martinis are gin-based unless clearly labeled “vodka Martini.”>

So there—I’ve introduced the Gibson. Now, we move on to the seasonal variation of the Gibson that features pickled ramps instead of pickled onions. Mind you, if I weren’t married to a superb culinary talent, I wouldn’t know a ramp from an onion from a leek from a shallot from a scallion. But I am blessed. Mrs. LL and her foodie friends all ooh and ahh over ramps, so when I caught wind of such a thing as a ‘Ramp Gibson’ I had to learn more. 

A Ramp Gibson can be beautiful, but it has two problems:
1. Ramps are a wild vegetable and seasonal—springtime only, here in the Northeast—and almost impossible to find in grocery stores even in season, much less already pickled for you.
2. Once you’re able to find or buy ramps, pickling them is a chore at best. 

Enter the innovative team at the Catskill Mountains distillery Isolation Proof. They’ve created a savory and refined, ramp-infused gin that can rest year-round in your liquor pantry, saving you the time and trouble of sourcing and pickling ramps on your own. It makes a spectacular Gibson, and it’s available to Rochester area Gibson lovers at Brighton’s Pinnacle Wine & Liquor while supplies last. (This is a limited edition, seasonal gin—but less limited and less seasonal than the ramps themselves.) 

The recipe is disarmingly simple. In addition to Isolation Proof’s amazing Ramp Gin, use a healthy measure of Blanc vermouth (or Bianco or Blanco—essentially the same style, but from Italy or Spain respectively, instead of France). Blanc vermouth is white (yes, like dry vermouth) but has a bit of sweetness to it, and the team at Isolation Proof wisely recommends using Blanc vermouth with their Ramp Gin. The gin is indeed rampy, and strongly flavored gins such as this benefit from a little sweetness in a cocktail modifier to soften their edge a bit.

ISOLATION RAMP GIBSON
2 oz Isolation Proof Ramp Gin
1 oz Blanc, bianco, or blanco vermouth
2 dashes of Regans’ orange bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir for 15-20 seconds or until well chilled. Strain the liquid into a chilled Martini glass or coupe and garnish the drink with a pickled cocktail onion and/or a lemon peel after expressing its oils over the drink.

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.