Tom Collins

Oh joy! Rapture! It’s finally here. The day I can purchase hard alcohol from a supermarket. More specifically, from Costco. To celebrate, I went out and purchased a large bottle of gin. It’s the base for many of my husband’s favorite drinks. Including this one. There’s some debate on whether I should call this a Gin Fizz or a Tom Collins. Both have the same ingredients, but (apparently) a Gin Fizz is shaken and a Tom Collins is just stirred. I guess old Tom isn’t the James Bond of cocktails. I’ve been making them so long and calling them Tom that I just can’t switch now. Forgive me if I’m totally blowing your mind not calling it a Gin Fizz.

This beverage is perfectly refreshing. Like a grown up lemonade. With a powerful punch. If you aren’t a gin drinker, be careful. It’s a higher proof than vodka, rum or whiskey. Meaning, it’s gonna hit you like a Mack truck if you don’t take it slow. I love the shaking part of drink making. Shake shake shake!!

Traditionally a Tom Collins is garnished with an orange and a marachino cherry, so I’ve included them in the recipe. However, my husband hates garnishes on his drinks. According to him, they are fru-fru and get in the way of actually drinking. He’s perfectly fine with just a topper of club soda.

Enjoy!

Tom Collins
makes 1 cocktail (the pictured version is a double)

2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 tsp simple syrup*
3 oz club soda
1 maraschino cherry
1 slice orange

In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well. Strain into a collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the club soda. Stir and garnish with the cherry and the orange slice.

*Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar has dissolved. It can be cooled and refrigerated for about a week. It is used in all kinds of drink recipes and is very convenient to have on hand.