tom collins

What is your best recipe for a tom collins? I ordered one at Xmas dinner and the waitress was astounded and said " I haven't heard that ordered in years". Civilization really is falling isn't it?

The Tom Collins is a cocktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water and served in a Collins glass over ice. The Tom part of the name is from Jerry Thomas, he who first came up with the recipe.

It may be different elsewhere, but in the UK, cocktails have lost their appeal with the rise of wine sales. Another popular cocktail now rarely heard of is the Bloody Mary, a cocktail containing vodka, tomato juice, and other spices and flavorings including Worcestershire sauce, hot sauces, garlic, herbs, celery, olives, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, lime juice and/or celery salt.

A Tom Collins is one of my go-to summer drinks, but I've noticed, well, over the last twenty years, fewer and fewer bartenders are familiar with the drink. And forget about all but a truly old bartender in a classic bar knowing one of my other favorite, a French 75 (effectively, a Tom Collins where the soda water is swapped out for champagne).

Tom Collins or gin and tonic are my go-to summer drinks, and you're right, it's shocking how many bartenders or waiters don't know what it is. This is the recipe I've used for years:

2 oz gin
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
top with club soda over ice

You can play with the ratio of lemon juice to simple syrup to your personal taste. I used to make them 1:1, but I like a little more lemon than sugar.

I think the lemon slice is a more popular garnish, but I prefer the orange slice.

I became familiar with the Tom Collins years ago. I knew a couple who used Orgeat instead of the simple syrup. Orgeat is syrup with almond flavoring; it can be a bit hard to find.