Gin Rickey

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925

2 parts gin

1 part fresh lime juice

4 parts club soda

1 lime wedge, for garnish

Place the gin and lime juice in a cocktail shaker, fill it two-thirds of the way with ice, and shake until chilled.

Strain over ice into a highball glass, top with the club soda, and gently stir.

Garnish with the lime wedge and enjoy.

Tom came back, preceding four gin rickeys that clicked full of ice.

Gatsby took up his drink.

“They certainly look cool,” he said, with visible tension.

We drank in long, greedy swallows.

Once again mindful of the heat, this time back at Gatsby’s mansion, the friends indulge in the Gin Rickey, an easy-to-make drink that combines gin, lime, and soda. It’s said to have been named for a Washington D.C. lobbyist, Joe Rickey, who preferred drinks that weren’t sweet. His version was originally bourbon, but a gin variant soon appeared and became all the rage—enough so that it found its way into Fitzgerald's immortal tale, and was said to be one of the author’s favorite drinks.