Cocktail bar: Lemongrass gimlet

Cocktail bar: Lemongrass gimlet (Photo: iStock)

The refreshing lemongrass gimlet is a modern twist on the classic gimlet cocktail, which traces its origins to the 19th-century British Royal Navy. The original gimlet was a simple mixture of gin, or occasionally rum, and lime juice. Its purpose was largely medicinal: sailors were required to consume lime juice to prevent scurvy on long voyages, and officers mixed it with gin to make the tart juice more palatable.

The name "gimlet" has several suggested origins. Some attribute it to Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette, a naval surgeon who promoted the drink as a preventative medicine, while others suggest it may refer to the piercing tool of the same name.