Finally! Summer is here. Pack some fabulous treats, a One G&T can or two, and head to the park (or your back garden!)

 Here at One Gin, we love putting our own unique twist on some of our favourite picnic recipes. We’ve created the perfect gin-based treats that will take your picnic to the next level.

This is a condiment that will upgrade your sandwich game forever. We know that there are hundreds of different chutney recipes out there, but this one is absolutely the best.

One Gin Chutney

Ingredients

3tbsp olive oil

6 onions

300g dark muscovado sugar

200ml red wine vinegar 

3tbsp balsamic vinegar 

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1tbsp wholegrain mustard

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp crushed chillies

100ml One Sage Gin

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan & gently fry the onions over a medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly. The onions should be softened but not browned, and reduced by around half.

Stir in 3 tbsp of the sugar, increase the heat, and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just starting to colour. Lower the heat, add the remaining sugar and all the other ingredients. 

Simmer so it bubbles gently on a medium-low heat for 30-40 mins, or until the chutney has reduced and thickened to a dark caramel colour, stirring occasionally to check it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan. To test if the chutney is ready, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan – it should take a few seconds for the juices to re-cover the bottom of the pan.

Spoon the hot chutney into cooled, sterilised jars, then seal and label. The chutney will keep for up to 6-12 months.

Once you have your chutney, you simply must try it in this ploughman’s sandwich. The perfect balance of sweet, savoury, soft and crunchy. Everything you need in a sandwich.

 

One Gin Ploughman’s Sandwich 

Ingredients

1 Medium Baguette

2 tbsp Mayo

1 heaped tsp Wholegrain Mustard 

½ Braeburn Apple 

3 Slices Smoked Ham 

50g cheddar, Sliced 

2 tbsp One Gin Chutney 

Handful Rocket 

Method

Slice the baguette in half, lengthways. In a bowl, mix the mayo with the mustard, then thinly slice the apple. Spread the mayo mixture over the baguette base, then layer the ham, cheese, apple slices, and the One Gin chutney mixture. Finish with the rocket and baguette top. Slice into desired portion sizes and serve.

 

For all the vegetarians out there, this cucumber sandwich is made for you. Soaking the cucumber in our One Sage & Apple gin adds a unique, subtle flavour to this classic sandwich. 

 

Cucumber Sandwich 

Ingredients

250g cream cheese

25ml One Sage & Apple Gin 

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

8 slices white bread, crusts removed

1 English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1 handful of rocket 

 

Method

An hour before making the sandwiches, use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the cucumber. Transfer the cucumber slices into a bowl, add 50ml of One Sage Gin, and leave to soak until. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, salt and pepper. Spread about 1 tablespoon of cream-cheese mixture onto 1 bread slice. Layer cucumber and rocket. Top with a second slice of bread. Cut each sandwich into 3 rectangles. 

After your sandwiches, obviously you’ll need a sweet treat! These gin-y lemon drizzle slices are the perfect mix between a desert and an aperitif.

 

One Gin Lemon Drizzle Slices 

 

Ingredients

For the cake: 

70g softened, unsalted butter

120g caster sugar 

2 medium eggs

140g self raising flour

1tsp baking powder 

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp lemon curd

2 tbsp full fat milk 

 

For the drizzle topping: 

30g granulated sugar

Juice of 1 lemon 

50ml One Sage Gin 

 

For the Icing:

250g icing sugar 

3 tbsp water 

Yellow food colouring 

 

Method 

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Line a square or rectangular baking tray with parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add the eggs and then mix again. Add the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, lemon curd and milk. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 25-30mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Mix the sugar, lemon juice and One Sage Gin together, pour over the cake whilst it’s still warm. Gradually add water to the icing sugar until it creates a runny, but not watery, consistency.

Put a small amount of icing into a separate bowl and add some yellow food colouring so it turns a light yellow.

Remove the cake from the tin and peel off the baking parchment. Place a wire rack in a baking tray, and place the cake on top. Spread the white icing all over the top of the cake. Spoon the yellow icing into a piping bag and draw lines across the width of the cake. Using a cocktail stick, drag through the lines in opposite directions to create a feathered effect.

Add fresh fruit, a cheese and meats board, and of course, your One Gin & tonic cans, and there you have it : picnic made in heaven (or your kitchen).

 

Finally the sun has decided to appear and we can start to make the most of all our summer plans. Amongst that is making sure we find our dad’s the perfect Father’s Day gift, and as if by magic…our sell out Port Barrel Rested Gin is back!

The first small batch of this sensational spirit sold out on our website within a matter of weeks, so what better time to release our second small batch than just in time for Father’s Day? 

It all started as a lockdown 1.0 experiment, with a 1 litre oak barrel, some fine ruby port, our original sage gin and some eager tasters, our very own Johnny & Ian. After a couple of weeks soaking in port, the barrel was filled with gin and each week it was tasted. (It’s a hard job, but someone had to do it.) It didn’t take many weeks to decide that we needed a real ruby port barrel to do this properly – and a few months later our delicious Port Barrel Rested Gin was born.

We know that dads can be tricky to buy for, and so we’ve made it easy for you by creating the perfect gift for those gin-loving, port-sipping, cocktail-mixing, chocolate-hiding fathers. We’ve partnered with our friends at Seed & Bean chocolate to create the ultimate Father’s Day treat. An ethical partnership made in heaven, all Seed & Bean products are organic, Fairtrade, and have fully compostable wrapping. 

The Mini Bar Seed & Bean Gift Set in our gift bundle will allow dads to go on a mini chocolate tasting journey, ideally with a glass in hand. Containing four of their best selling flavours in 25g mini bar size, they can enjoy: Extra Dark Chocolate, Orange & Thyme Dark Chocolate, Espresso Dark Chocolate, Sea Salt & Lime Milk Chocolate.  Alongside our One Port Barrel Rested Gin, simply perfect over ice, in a G&T, or as Ian likes to enjoy it, in a Negroni. 

The perfect Father’s Day gift, what is there not to like?!

Why not go the extra mile and treat your dad to our cocktail of the month? This month it is the classic Negroni.

Fun Fact

Ever wondered how the infamous Negroni was created? As legend has it, a mysterious Italian Count, Camillo Negroni, was known to frequently order a drink called an Americano, a cocktail traditionally made with Campari, sweet vermouth, soda water, and garnished with a lemon peel. One day, Negroni came into a café and asked for an Americano with gin instead of soda. The bartender, Fosco Scarselli, added a twist of orange rather than the Americano’s typical lemon peel and, in that very moment, the eponymous Negroni was born.

Negroni

Glass

Tumbler/Rocks Glass 

Ingredients

25ml One Gin

25ml Campari

25ml Sweet Vermouth

 Feeling fancy? This recipe also tastes great with our Port Barrel Rested Gin in place of our classic One Gin

Method

Combine all ingredients in a large tumbler with plenty of fresh ice cubes and stir. Garnish with a wedge of clementine.

Now you have everything you need to give your dad one fabulous Father’s Day. However you chose to celebrate, we hope you have a wonderful time.

Cheers!

Now that it’s Monday 17th May we are finally allowed to meet with up to 30 people outside, just in time for a summer garden party! We can’t wait to start hosting again. Over the next few months, keep an eye out for lots of One Gin inspired recipes for every occasion. 

Let’s kick off the hosting season with our cocktail of the month, which just so happens to be the perfect cocktail for a garden party! 

One gin Garden Punch

Glass

Tumbler/wine glass

Ingredients

330ml One Sage & Apple Gin
50ml elderflower cordial
50ml lime juice
150ml green tea
300ml cloudy apple juice
100ml sparkling water
3x cucumber strips
1 bunch fresh mint
Handful peas

Method

Pour all ingredients over ice into a large jug and stir. Garnish with cucumber strips and fresh mint.

This cocktail is light and refreshing; perfect for the summer afternoons in the sun. You can watch a video of Flora showing you how to make the Garden Punch here. 

One of the most integral parts of hosting a summer garden party is having the right glassware. We love shopping for beautiful accessories to upgrade our parties.Our go-to is always Anthropologie, one of our absolute favourite stores for beautiful homeware; you can even pick up your bottle of One Sage & Apple gin whilst browsing in-store.

 Clemence Pitcher, £36, Anthropology. 

And how perfect is this Clemence Pitcher?! Featuring vibrant yet delicate florals, this glassware collection would be perfect for our Garden Punch cocktail. 

Adla Pitcher, £36, Anthropology. 

If you’re wanting to add a pop of colour to the festivities, the Adla Pitcher is for you. This pitcher is decorated with bright fruit motifs, creating a playful way to serve guests a refreshing cocktail.

Now that you’ve chosen the perfect pitcher for your Garden Punch cocktail, don’t forget about the outside space! With a few simple additions, you can transform your space into an open-air destination that your friends and family will want to continue coming back to. Add pops of colour, soften with textures or add glowing lights to add a far-away feel. 

Solar Outdoor 20 LED Festoon Lights, £69.50, Oliver Bonas

Lighting is a must have to keep the feelings of warmth and light into the twilight hours. We love the rustic look of these lights, and even better, they’re solar powered! So no need to worry about trying to find a plug socket.

Hana Blue Recycled Cotton Throw, 29.50, Oliver Bonas.

Oliver Bonas is a great shop for stylish and sustainable options, This throw is made from recycled polyester and recycled cotton, proof that style and sustainability go hand in hand. Perfect to keep your guests warm on chilly Spring nights.

Now we have the drinks and the accessories, all we need now is a show stopping treat; these Apple Butterfly Buns are sure to please kids and adults alike. The butterfly effect is at the heart of everything we do at One Gin. That’s why we couldn’t resist putting a unique twist on this traditional favourite. Keeping it simple with a vanilla sponge cake recipe, but using delicate apple slices as the butterfly wings adds a fresh and summery aspect to these moorish treats. 

Hopefully this has inspired you to host your very own summer party, and if you want to take your hosting to the next level, why not send your guests home with some One Gin minis as party favours. 

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Finally the world is beginning to open up again and seeing everyone outside in restaurants and pubs has put a smile on our faces. But if you are just as excited to start hosting in your garden, we have the perfect cocktail for you that is sure to refresh and impress your guests… Our cocktail of the month:  

The One Gin Cobbler

But before we tell you how to make your very own, a bit of history…

This cool, long drink is ideal for a weekend out in the garden and very simple to make. The Cobbler takes its name from the “cobbles” of ice over which it was traditionally built. So make sure you have lots of ice ready! 

We make it with white port, but the sherry-based version of the cocktail was possibly the first ever shaken drink. It is famously singled out in Charles Dickens’s The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, in which the main character reacts to his first cobbler… and its straw: “Martin took the glass with an astonished look; applied his lips to the reed; and cast up his eyes once in ecstasy. He paused no more until the goblet was drained to the last drop.” Both the drink and the straw would’ve been considered very novel inventions at the time.  

The One Gin Cobbler recipe

Glass

Highball

Ingredients

¼ fresh apple, cubed
4 sprigs lemon thyme, plus more to garnish
30ml One Sage & Apple Gin
30ml white port
15ml elderflower cordial
20ml lemon juice
10ml earl grey tea syrup
2 orange slices
2 lemon slices
All ingredients are available to buy at Tesco stores. 

Method

In a cocktail shaker, crush up the apple with 4 sprigs of the lemon thyme (regular thyme will do if you can’t find lemon thyme). Add the remaining ingredients, except the ginger ale, shake well with fresh ice and top with ginger ale. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

One Gin & Tonic Cheesecake

Now you’ve got the perfect cocktail to celebrate the beginning of the end of lockdown, time to put your new baking skills to use! 

This One Gin & Tonic Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for summer get togethers and BBQs. Sure to please all of your sweet toothed friends, garnished with fresh apples soaked in a gin and tonic glaze on top of a bed of crushed meringue. This cheesecake has everything!

Ingredients:

For cheesecake: 

250g digestive biscuits
100g butter, melted
600g cream cheese
100g icing sugar
Juice of 1 lime
50ml One Sage & Apple Gin
280ml double cream 

For decorating:

2 meringues
50ml One Sage & Apple Gin
100ml premium tonic water
Juice of 1 lime

Method

Butter and line a 23cm loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment. Put the digestive biscuits in a plastic food bag and crush to crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl, then pour over the melted butter. Mix thoroughly until the crumbs are completely coated. Tip them into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for 1 hr to set firmly.

Place the cream cheese, icing sugar and lime in a bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth. Add the gin and double cream, and continue beating until the mixture is completely combined. Spoon it onto the biscuit base, and spread to the edges. Smooth the top of the cheesecake down with a spatula. Leave to set in the fridge overnight.

Pour the gin and tonic into a pan, add the caster sugar, lemon juice, and apple slices and boil hard. After 2 minutes remove the apple slices. Once it has reduced to a syrup (about 3-4 minutes over high heat), cool a little, then add the apple again and toss in the syrup. 

To serve, top the cheesecake with a handful of the crushed meringues, then drizzle with the syrup, scattering the apple slices on top as you go. 

And if you prefer the park…

 Our brand new One Gin & tonic cans are available in two flavours: Sage & Orange Twist or Sage & Apple. They are both expertly mixed with premium tonic water to create the perfect G&T, wherever you are.

Shop our new One G&T cans now.