Wines and Spirits

Drink Me - The Perfect Summer Cocktail

Now I love wines and wine tastings, but this economy has put a bit of a dent in my wine purchasing of late.ч  (Did I mention that I"m a rather fast drinker?).ч  Husband is, and always has been, a cocktail man.ч  Thus, he"s also a damn good bartender.ч  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:ч  The Collins.ч  Easy and versatile, this delicious quaff is incredibly affordable AND simple to make.ч  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.ч  Purchase a very inexpensive bottom-shelf bottle of gin, vodka, what beckons you.ч  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.ч  At those prices, you could get three or four spirits. Your guests - and you - have options! Step 2.ч  Make the simple syrup.ч  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.ч  Voila!ч  So Easy! Step 3.ч  Juicing some lemons.ч  This next step does require a bit of equipment - a juicer.ч  Now, Husband"s choice of juicers is definitely a higher end one (don"t even ask what it cost!).ч  And this juicer is great for juicing a lot of lemons or limes (or orange juice) at a time to keep in the fridge.ч  But for cocktails on the go (read: to order), the standard hand juicer does just fine.ч  The number of guests you are expecting will help to determine how many lemons you should juice.ч  Be sure and shop around a bit, though, and find the best price!ч  Citrus can be expensive.ч  (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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