Jenny Park works at The Wine School of Philadelphia
Now I love wines and wine tastings, but this economy has put a bit of a dent in my wine purchasing of late. (Did I mention that I'm a rather fast drinker?). Husband is, and always has been, a cocktail man. Thus, he's also a damn good bartender. He is a firm believer in fresh juices, simple syrups, and appropriate condiments (pearl onions, cucumbers, mint, etc.) and a staunch nay-sayer of anything what screams "mixer".
And much like I like to keep a few bottles of wines around for when guests are over, so my husband likes to keep the fixings for his favorite standard: The Collins. Easy and versatile, this delicious quaff is incredibly affordable AND simple to make. Easy as you need so few ingredients; versatile because you can go beyond the gin and vodka collins and offer your friends bourbon collins, rum collins, tequila collins....You get the picture.
Step 1. Purchase a very inexpensive bottom-shelf bottle of gin, vodka, what beckons you. I don't recommend the VERY bottom of the shelf, but any of those imbibements in the $16-18 price range are gonna do just fine for mixing. At those prices, you could get three or four spirits. Your guests - and you - have options!
Step 2. Make the simple syrup. Simply boil 1 cup water in a small saucepan; when it comes to a boil add 1 cup sugar; stir until all the sugar is dissolved; turn off stove; let cool. Voila! So Easy!
Step 3. Juicing some lemons. This next step does require a bit of equipment - a juicer. Now, Husband's choice of juicers is definitely a higher end one (don't even ask what it cost!). And this juicer is great for juicing a lot of lemons or limes (or orange juice) at a time to keep in the fridge. But for cocktails on the go (read: to order), the standard hand juicer does just fine. The number of guests you are expecting will help to determine how many lemons you should juice. Be sure and shop around a bit, though, and find the best price! Citrus can be expensive. (You'll only use a tablespoon per drink, if this helps with the spending money on lemons).
Fill a collins glass with ice
Add 2 ounces gin/vodka/bourbon/whathaveyou
Add 1 Tablespoon simple syrup
Add 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
Top off with soda water, stir (I use a chopstick), and serve.
You can toast me somewhere between the second or third sip!
Salud.
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