Posts Tagged ‘Summer Drinks’

We're on the cusp of the May 24 long weekend, the unofficial start of summer for those of us in the Great White North. It's the perfect time for a classic warm weather long drink: the Tom Collins.

Like many, if not all, cocktails and mixed drinks, the Tom Collins has plenty of variations and versions out there. Here are a few.

David Wondrich, one of the foremost cocktail historians out there, gives us some history and a recipe in the Wondrich take on the Tom Collins.

Robert Hess of Small Screen Network ups the lemon juice and uses simple syrup instead of superfine sugar as a sweetener in his Tom Collins. You can check it out in the video below.

Here's another Tom Collins recipe at Epicurious, where the gin, sugar and lemon juice are added in equal proportions.

If you're not a fan of gin, there are Tom Collins variations using a variety or spirits. Below I've listed links to a few of them.

• Pedro Collins (features rum as the base spirit)
• Jack Collins (uses Apple Jack, Calvados or other apple brandy)
• Tequila Collins
• John Collins (bourbon is the key to this one)
• Brandy Collins

Whatever your preference, the Tom Collins is a classic and refreshing mixed drink that will serve you well during the upcoming long weekend.

Have fun. Be merry.

What's your favourite? Tell us about the tall drink that makes you think "long weekend"

A delicious drink when cold (no surprise there cocktail lovers) the Honeymoon cocktail we enjoyed the other day suffered badly from the heat. The apple, orange and lemon warmed up quickly, hurting the tart citrus punch of this old-timey tipple. Obvious right? As an old boss of mine once told me, "No use being stupid if you don't show it."

So, as an outdoor drink, we suggest saving this one for a brisk autumn evening, when you can truly enjoy it.

The Honeymoon is a classic that dates back to the 1930s.

Honeymoon

1-1/2 oz Apple brandy -- I used Calvados Boulard (296228, 750 mL, $48.65)
1 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Triple sec
1/2 oz Fresh squeezed lemon juice

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini or cocktail glass.

Ah, whisky. Or whiskey, as our Irish and U.S. counterparts will write. I've only recently begun to expand the range of my palate by trying a few different brands of Canadian whisky. In this particular case, we used Century Reserve 15 Year Old (105858, 750 mL, 30.05).

Mint sprigs make a good looking garnish, right?

Whisky Swizzle

2 oz Canadian whisky
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse

Pour ingredients into an old-fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and stir with a swizzle stick. Serve with a straw and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Donna didn't care much for this one, but I found the combination of whisky and Chartreuse to be quite lively. The full glass of crushed ice kept the drink cold in the summer sun and the mint became refreshingly stronger as the drink dwindled. This cocktail was a very pleasant surprise.

Although the Seabreeze cocktail isn't a particular favourite of mine (I find it a bit on the bland side), it has proved reasonably popular this summer, especially among our friends who prefer vodka to the usual rivers of rum and gin that flow on our dock.

To each their own, I'm not one to judge.

In our case the Seabreeze is more like a Lakebreeze.

Seabreeze

2 oz vodka
2 oz cranberry juice
2 oz grapefruit juice

Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker or blender and pour into a chilled highball glass.

For the record, this drink is just as easily stirred without sacrificing flavour.

Last night, as I tried to decide what summer drinks to feature this week, I figured I'd pick cocktails featuring a different main ingredient, just to keep it interesting. Since yesterday's Daiquiri featured rum, today's drink boasts gin. And the drink itself, the Tom Collins, is arguably the all-time fave imbibed upon our dock.

Three ain't a crowd if they're all named Tom.

This particular recipe is a variation on the original Tom Collins, created by our friend Christine Sismondo, and featuring fresh squeezed lime juice, instead of the traditional lemon.

Mondo Tom Collins

3 oz (90 ml) gin
3 oz (90 ml) lime juice
1 raw egg white
2 tbsp (30 ml) superfine sugar (to taste; some like more, others less).

1. Shake ingredients rigorously with ice.
2. Strain into two tall Collins glasses filled with ice.
3. Fill remainder of each glass with soda water.
4. Garnish with a fresh cherry or maraschino cherry.

Donna and I have recently taken to garnishing our Toms with fresh blueberries. Then we serve them with long glass spoons on the side, so we can finish up our drinks by eating a healthy dose of antioxidant-rich berries. Cool huh?