Just make your own gin, why not
It sounds really cool: making your own gin. Cookbook author Susan Aretz is actually doing it. Her new gin, Holy Unicorn Gin, will be available from the end of August. And so the idea of giving her new cookbook Borreltijd Wereldwijd some extra sparkle completely got out of hand.
It’s actually not that strange that Susan, known among other things for her book Borreltijd, also loves gin and tonic. ‘I’ve had a great love for gin for years. We have quite a collection at home, and we’re still discovering new and interesting gins. Making gin myself has seemed like a fantastic idea for years, but how do you do it? You can’t just make it in a saucepan on the stove.’
Yuzu tree in the backyard
To give her new book some extra shine, Susan decided to try to make that dream of creating her own gin come true. To raise the start-up capital, she launched a crowdfunding campaign on Good Friday. The idea was to collect the initial amount within four weeks. But guess what? ‘In less than four hours, I had already raised the target amount. That was completely beyond my expectations, absolutely amazing!’
For her gin, Susan is working with one of the oldest distillers in Schiedam. A team of experts there created Susan’s ideal gin based on her flavor profile. ‘I already knew exactly what the gin had to taste like. Yuzu as the base. I really love yuzu; ideally, I’d have a yuzu tree in the garden. Floral notes and citrus are the first flavors, followed by cinnamon and ginger. And finally, a kick of Sichuan pepper.’
Follow your own path
The label was designed by the same artist who also designed the unicorn tattoo on Susan’s arm: a drawing of a unicorn in one continuous line. Why? ‘In a world where you can be anything, be a unicorn,’ that’s my motto. So, follow your own path. And the artist said: then that same unicorn should also be on your gin. When I showed the design to my 11-year-old daughter, she spontaneously shouted, ‘Holy Unicorn!’. Boom, and the name was a fact.’
Worldly drinks and snacks
The gin may have been conceived as an extra for Wereldwijd Borreltijd; by now, the new gin is almost selling as quickly as the new book. And that book sounds delicious. ‘Drinks and snacks are so typically Dutch that there isn’t even an English word for it. I’ve transformed all kinds of international dishes and flavors into perfect drinks-time snacks. From an American breakfast dish to flavors and dishes from Vietnam, Japan, India, and Spain. Different from the usual, then. But very achievable, and there’s something for everyone in the book.’ Add gin and tonic, and there you have it—what a great idea.
Both the book and the gin will be available from August 27. The book can be bought at bookstores and through Susan’s website. You can order the gin online or buy it at Cane and Grain in Amsterdam.
