I came across the recipe for the Bhoomi one warm evening when my husband said he’d like to drink something like a Negroni Bianco. Since nothing came immediately to mind, I turned to Google for help. I wish I could remember what exactly I searched for, but the important thing is that I found the Bhoomi, and it was perfect.
Featured in Punch, this drink is a creation of Chicago bartender Richard Beltzer (not to be confused Richard Belzer). The word “bhoomi” is Hindi for “land,” which encapsulates what Beltzer was trying to create with this cocktail: a homage to India and the many spices, teas, and botanicals that originate there. While all of these things have found their way into Western glasses for hundreds of years, Indian spirits have only recently begun making the same journey. For years, the only Indian brand I had even heard of was Old Monk Rum, but now others are beginning to show up here in the US, especially whiskey and gin. Beltzer opted for Jin Jiji gin in the Bhoomi; I used the only Indian gin on my bar shelf, Jaisalmer. But the Bhoomi would be equally delicious and refreshing with any gin you choose.
If you get right down to it, the Bhoomi is a fancy Gin & Tonic. Blanc vermouth, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and a bit of cane syrup make it a little sweeter and more complex. Two dashes of saline solution (easy to make at home) emphasize the more savory notes and help balance it all out. Grapefruit makes a perfect garnish – it goes so well with gin, and with bitter herbal ingredients like tonic and Luxardo Bitter Bianco.
The Bhoomi also lends itself to substitutions, so don’t fret if you don’t have these ingredients in your bar. Dry vermouth can be used in place of blanc/bianco vermouth – just add a bit more cane syrup to make up for it. Speaking of the cane syrup, typical simple syrup works just fine. And Luxardo Bitter Bianco can be replaced with Aperol or Campari (which will also impart a nice pink hue). It will be a slightly different experience than the original, but still a refreshing and bitter drink for a warm evening.
Bhoomi
1.5 oz. Indian dry gin
1/2 oz. blanc vermouth
1/2 oz. Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1/4 oz. cane syrup (or 1/2 oz. simple syrup)
2 dashes saline solution*
2 oz. tonic water (Fever Tree recommended)
In a wine glass or tulip glass, combine gin, vermouth, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, cane syrup, and saline solution. Fill the glass with ice and top with tonic. Express a grapefruit peel over the glass and discard. Garnish with a grapefruit wheel, a mint bouquet, and a straw.
*For saline solution, combine 25 parts water to 1 part salt and stir until dissolved.
Recipe from Punch.