This is the way my father, Oren Floyd, makes his gin and tonic. He cuts his limes into 16ths and uses one or two wedges per cocktail. I like the taste of fresh lime, so I opt for larger wedges, cutting the limes into eighths.

Steps

1. Fill a bucket glass two-thirds full of ice.
2. Pour one heaping shot (up to the top of the shot glass, over the measuring line) of gin over the ice.
3. Squeeze a wedge of lime over the ice and gin. (In my dad’s opinion, squeezing the lime over the ice and gin, instead of as the final step when the drink is already made, is crucial.) Drop the wedge into the glass.
4. Pour fresh — as in freshly opened — tonic water to almost fill the glass. (In my dad’s book, any tonic will do, as long as it’s not flat or diet; never use diet tonic.)
5. Stir. Find an opening in between the ice to insert a spoon and waggle it back and forth a few times.
6. Drink.