Gin Cocktails for a 4th of July Party Celebration: Gimlets

Ingredients
Two shots of honey, softened with 1/2 shot glass of hot water.
Two shots of pure lime juice.
Ice cubes (4-6)
4 Martini glasses

Slices of lime, English cucumber and mint to garnish

This particular gimlet had its origins in a near-catastrophic lack of ice. Company arrived and we were running perilously short on cubes. I'd just made the usual sugar syrup, but since I was using the microwave to heat the syrup, it was too hot to add to the gin. And these people were thirsty! Fighting back panic, I reached for a jar of honey, made it a little more liquid by adding just a touch of warm water, and stirred like mad. Remember that honey is TWICE as sweet as sugar; you don't need as much as you'd think. And don't go using a fancy, single-source honey unless you're sure it goes with gin: use a nice, ordinary clover, wildflower or or alfalfa honey that won't muck up the clear, blithe flavors of citrus and evergreen...

Here's how:

ideally, start with gin that's been in the freezer for at least a day (the high alcohol content will keep it from totally freezing, but if you're lucky, it will develop a nice, slushy quality.)

Mix the honey and warm water thoroughly. Add the honey-water mixture to the lime juice and stir to blend. Add this mixture to the gin. Stir lovingly. Taste and make adjustments if you find it imperfect. (If you're gimletting with a meal, you may want a drink on the tart side. With canapes, you can go a bit sweeter.)

Add 2 ice cubes to each Martini glass. Pour in the gimlet. Garnish each glass with lime, cucumber and mint. (If your glasses are on the small side, choose only one or two garnishes per glass.)

NEVER put ice cubes in the gimlet pitcher! They melt too fast and ruin the balance of the drink.