Tom Collins
A friend's search for a bartender who could make a decent Tom Collins — someone who even knew what a Tom Collins was — piqued my interest in this classic. With the current cocktail revival, it should be as ubiquitous as a whiskey sour. It's even the namesake of the tall Collins glass! It's dead simple and very refreshing in the muggy heat of a Philadelphia summer.
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 3/4 oz sugar syrup
- club soda
Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup with ice. Strain into a tall Collins glass over ice. Top with club soda.
Variation: muddle two or three leaves of mint or basil in the bottom of the shaker before mixing.