Tom Collins Recipe

It feels like summer here. Temps near 80 and plenty of sun. It is a great time to sit on the deck, under an umbrella, and sip a refreshing cocktail. With that scene in mind, I am going to tell how to make a Tom Collins. Yeah…you could by a mix. But the real deal is super easy to make - and tastes like summertime in a glass.

The Tom Collins has been around since the 1870s. The exact origins of this drink are unknown, but according to Wikipedia, the first mention of the Tom Collins in writing was in 1876.

The Tom Collins is a refreshing concoction of gin, lemon juice, sugar, and sparkling water. You make this with vodka if you prefer, and substitute lime for the lemon. It will be just as good. It is typically served in a Collins glass - which is a tall narrow glass - but don’t worry if you don’t have one of those, it will taste just a good in whatever glass you have.

The recipe calls for simple syrup, which is easy to make. Just add equal parts sugar and water to a pan and heat it until the sugar is completely dissolved. 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water is a good place to start.

So roll out the deck chairs, open the umbrella, and sit back and sip a Tom Collins. It is just what the doctor ordered.

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Tom Collins

Ingredients:

• 2 oz gin (or use vodka, if you prefer)

• 1 oz simple syrup

• 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice

• sparkling water

• ice

Preparation:

Combine the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in a Collins glass. Add ice and top off with sparkling water. Garnish with a cherry.