Tag: gin

Tom Collins
gin

Tom Collins | A Refreshing & Simple 4-Ingredient Gin Cocktail

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The Tom Collins is considered a classic cocktail. Some even consider it the classic gin cocktail. Its origin dates back to the 1860s (!!!) and has quite the story. Now, I just did a lot of internet reading about this drink’s history but I’ll do my best to pare it all down. Supposedly, a man named John Collins originally created the drink in a hotel in London in the 1860s.

Fast forward several years and jump the pond to New York in 1874. There was a popular joke going around, where an innocent soul would be told “someone named Tom Collins at such-and-such bar is saying all kinds of awful things about you”. The victim would then head off to the particular bar to find this slanderer; upon arriving, they would ask the bartender “Have you seen a Tom Collins?” and they would be promptly served this sour drink. There were even several newspaper articles about it, many initially reporting Tom Collins was a real person. Eventually, people caught on and it became known as the Tom Collins Hoax of 1874. What a time to be alive.

If you’re fascinated by this moment in history, you can read the full story here. There are some pretty awesome newspaper quotes in it.

The Tom Collins is one of my favorite cocktails for two reasons: 1) it’s easy to make, and 2) it’s easy to customize. Simply swap the simple syrup for a flavored one and bam, new drink! My favorite rendition is a Lavender Collins, made with lavender simple syrup. It’s bright and floral, perfect for spring. You could also use honey simple syrup, rose simple syrup, matcha simple syrup, or beet simple syrup. If you made one with beet syrup, you could call it Tom Collins’ Beetdown. Get it? Like, a bar fight? With Tom? For always talking smack? Too far? Sorry.

This drink is served in a highball or “Collins” glass. Yep. As in Tom Collins. This hooligan was so famous he got a cocktail AND glassware named after him. A Collins glass is just a tall glass but if you refer to it as a Collins glass, it can make even your tap water feel fancy.

The Ingredients for a Tom Collins

  • 2 oz gin (due to Covid, I’m down to my Opihr spiced gin– I’m not complaining, but usually I’d go for a more floral gin for a TC)
  • 3/4 oz freshly-squeeze lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup (try a flavored one- see a list of ideas below)
  • club soda

The How-To

Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top off with club soda. Stir to incorporate.

Modify & customize your Tom Collins with one of these simple syrups:

Gimlet
gin

Gimlet | A 2- or 3-Ingredient Classic Cocktail

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The Gimlet is a classic cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and sugar. It's light, crisp, and refreshing, making it the perfect spring-time drink.
Gimlet

Wow. Crazy times, right? We are experiencing something unprecedented as a country–no, as a planet– right now thanks to COVID-19. I hemmed and hawed about whether or not I should post cocktail recipes, because it all seems a little frivolous right now.

However, I’m thinking you’ve got some extra time on your hands. And since I’m assuming most people can’t go out, I’ve compiled a list of several classic cocktail recipes that have 3 ingredients you probably already have. I’ll be writing them over the next week or two. If you don’t have the right ingredients, make some modifications and call it a quarantine experiment. Everything is more fun when you call it an experiment, right?

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

The Gimlet is a classic cocktail. Traditionally, it calls for lime cordial (the most common being Rose’s Lime Juice). However, I don’t have any lime cordial and I’m not about to brave the stores for something so… unessential. So I’m improvising by using fresh lime juice and sugar. It’s definitely different than what a Gimlet usually tastes like, so make sure to give both versions a fair try once grocery stores and online-orders are bit easier to deal with. One plus side to using fresh lime juice is the extra dose of vitamin C. Extra vitamin C in a time like this sounds like a good idea to me.

The Gimlet is a classic cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and sugar. It's light, crisp, and refreshing, making it the perfect spring-time drink.

If you have citric acid chillin’ in your pantry, though, you can make this homemade lime cordial. I really want to try this in the future so if any of y’all make it, let me know how it is!

If you have some leftover rose simple syrup, honey simple syrup, matcha simple syrup, or beet simple syrup from one of my other cocktails, you could always use that in place of the traditional simple syrup in this recipe. See? So many ways to experiment while you’re stuck at home! Also– if you’ve got a kid at home with you, make them a mocktail with lime juice, sparkling water, and simple syrup. It’ll basically be a DIY Sprite, with no artificial weird stuff.

I opted to make this cocktail outside, because why not? It took me all of 45 extra seconds to carry the ingredients outside. I can’t believe it’s the first time I’ve ever mixed a drink outdoors. It definitely won’t be my last. I actually made this Gimlet while wearing my baby in a ring sling. Baby-wearing, cocktail-slinging. I am Mama, hear me roar. Or something like that.

The Gimlet is a classic cocktail made with gin, lime juice, and sugar. It's light, crisp, and refreshing, making it the perfect spring-time drink.f

The Ingredients for a Traditional Gimlet

The Ingredients for a Do-What-You-Can-With-What-You-Have Gimlet

How to Make It

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Stir until the syrup is incorporated well. Or rebel against tradition since we’re already not using lime cordial and shake the dang thing. Strain into a coupe glass or martini glass. Sip on your porch or balcony to add some vitamin D to your vitamin C.

Gin recommendations for Gimlets (or other cocktails that put gin on full display)

I only had Opihr gin on-hand (a spiced gin) and while it was still definitely good, I would recommend gins that lean more clean-tasting, like:

  • Hendricks (distilled with cucumbers, so this would be complemented in a Gimlet)
  • Bombay Sapphire
  • Prairie (certified organic & gluten-free) **This has been my go-to gin for years. I love supporting small-scale distilleries and family-run farms. I love, love, love this company. No, this isn’t a sponsored post but, uh, Prairie Organics if you’re reading… hi 🙋🏻‍♀️
  • Beefeater (has a less-pronounced juniper taste & goes nicely with citrus)
  • Koval (a kosher and organic small-batch dry gin)

I’m personally just getting into the wide, wide world of gin. Honestly, prior to starting this cocktail blog and building relationships with other cocktail bloggers, I didn’t know gins could be SO diverse and distinct. We’re all learning here together at Girl & Tonic! If you’re interested in delving into gins more, or you’re just bored at home with nothing to read because your library’s closed, The Gin Observer is informative and has a ton of gin brands and cocktail recipes to explore.

gin

The Classic French 75

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The classic French 75, a champagne cocktail.

The French 75 is a classic, classic cocktail. It’s one of the first cocktails I ever had and it was ordered for me by one of my dearest friends. It’s her go-to drink and honestly, she IS a walking French 75. Tall & blonde, bright & effervescent, feminine & sophisticated, but man, she can pack a punch. Cheers, Colleen. You powerhouse, you.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

This gin & champagne cocktail dates back to the early 1900s and gets its name from the 75-millimeter Howitzer field gun that was used by both the French and the Americans in World War I. I’m no gun expert but apparently this thing had a pretty mean kick to it. So it seems the French 75 is appropriately named– it is BOO-ZY, I tell ya.

When I make a French 75, or any cocktail with champagne, I prefer to purchase the little mini bottles. I love champagne as much as the next person, don’t get me wrong. But it almost always gives me an instant headache so I never finish a bottle of the stuff.

Simple cocktails, or all cocktails IMO, call for a garnish. Twist a strip of lemon peel around a straw to help it hold a curl while you assemble the rest of the drink. I know I need to up my garnish game and I plan on spending my daughter’s next nap time watching some YouTube tutorials. We all gotta start somewhere. You can use a traditional vegetable peeler or special citrus zester. I found this teeny red box grater at Hobby Lobby for a couple bucks and it is surprisingly extremely sharp.

Another great place to find fun garnishes is the dollar store. I think I got a pack of 8 of those sparkly hearts for a buck. These would be the perfect garnish for a Galentine’s Day cocktail. And the foiled paper straws just take it all to the next level.

There are a few ways to make a French 75 but typically, the components are gin + sugar + lemon juice + champagne. I’ve had them with vodka in place of gin, honey syrup instead of sugar, and with a couple dashes of Angostura bitters. It seems the recipe below is the most commonly used one, but make it however you want.

The French 75 is a classic cocktail for a reason. With only 4 ingredients, this champagne cocktail is incredibly easy to make. Make it this Valentine's Day.

The Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz gin
  • 3/4 oz simple syrup
  • 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 2-3 oz champagne

The How-To

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake well. Strain into a champagne glass and top off with champagne. Garnish with a lemon peel and cheers yourself for being so classy.

French 75

A classic gin cocktail with champagne and lemon. It's simple, sophisticated, and fun.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz gin
  • ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ oz simple syrup
  • 2-3 oz champagne or sparkling wine

Instructions
 

  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a champagne glass and top off with champagne.
  • Garnish with a lemon twist.

Notes

If you don’t know how to make simple syrup, find the easy recipe here.
Keyword champagne, french 75, gin, lemon, prosecco, simple syrup, sparkling wine
The French 75 is a classic cocktail for a reason. With only 4 ingredients, this champagne cocktail is incredibly easy to make. Make it this Valentine's Day.
Solomon's Bazaar
gin

Solomon’s Bazaar | An Alluring Spiced Gin Cocktail

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Solomon's Bazaar | An exotic Opihr spiced gin cocktail with orange, rosewater, cardamom, and honey.

The ingredients in Solomon’s Bazaar are a little more exotic and the flavor profile’s more sophisticated but this drink is still far from difficult to make. Besides, once you invest in some of these ingredients, your home bar will go from basic to impressive. You might even find yourself inspired to experiment with them.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

Solomon's Bazaar | A Gin Cocktail. An exotic Opihr spiced gin cocktail with orange, rosewater, cardamom, and honey.

The particular brand of gin that I used makes the drink, in my opinion, but I think any brand could work. Opihr was my inspiration for this gin cocktail and I built everything around it. It’s considered an oriental spiced gin and uses spices and botanicals meant to evoke the tastes & aromas of exotic spice markets: black pepper, cardamom, and ginger from India, cubeb from Malaysia, coriander seed from Morocco, cumin from Turkey, bitter oranges from Spain, angelica from Germany, juniper from Italy, and grapefruit peel.

Opihr gets its name from the legendary port that flourished during the days of King Solomon; it was renowned for its gold, silver, pearls, ivory, apes, peacocks, and sandalwood.

Solomon's Bazaar | An exotic Opihr spiced gin cocktail with orange, rosewater, cardamom, and honey.

The backstory behind this gin inspired me to create an exotic gin cocktail that could recreate the experience of walking through an ancient Middle Eastern spice market. Luckily for you, you won’t have to wade through bustling streets to find what you need. Amazon Prime leaves with you no excuse to recreate the exotic and sophisticated Solomon’s Bazaar.

A gin cocktail made with Opihr spiced gin, rosewater, orange juice & zest, cardamom bitters, and honey.

The Ingredients for Solomon’s Bazaar

  • 1 1/2 – 2 oz. gin (if you live in the Lonestar State like me, Opihr can only be found at Spec’s)
  • 1/2 oz. freshly-squeezed orange juice
  • 1/2 oz freshly-squeeze lemon juice
  • zest from an orange
  • 1/2 oz honey simple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon rosewater (it’s potent- always err on the side of too little)
  • a couple dashes of cardamom bitters

How to Make a Solomon’s Bazaar

Zest half an orange over your cocktail shaker. Add ice. Pour in gin, juice, & honey syrup. Carefully add a quarter teaspoon of rosewater. You can always add more if you want but I have ruined many a drink by accidentally using too much. Add two dashes of cardamom bitters (or traditional aromatic bitters if its what you have). Shake shake shake. Strain into a coupe glass. Sip & find yourself transported to the markets of Opihr.

Solomon's Bazaar | An exotic Opihr spiced gin cocktail with orange, rosewater, cardamom, and honey.

Interested in making another gin cocktail? Check out the Gimlet, a French 75, Down the Bunny Trail, or a Gin Campari Sour.

Solomon’s Bazaar

An exotic spiced gin cocktail meant to evoke the experience of strolling down the aisles of a spice market.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½-2 oz spiced gin
  • ½ oz freshly-squeezed orange juice
  • ½ oz freshley-squeezed lemon juice
  • zest from an orange
  • ½ oz honey simple syrup (see note for recipe)
  • ⅛ teaspoon rosewater
  • 1-2 dashes cardamom bitters (can sub aromatic bitters)

Instructions
 

  • Zest half an orange over your cocktail shaker.
  • Add ice. Pour in gin, juices, & honey syrup. Carefully add ⅛ teaspoon of rosewater and two dashes of cardamom bitters.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with orange zest.

Notes

If you don’t have spiced gin, traditional gin will do. I really do recommend Opihr for this specific recipe though.
For the honey simple syrup recipe, click here.
Keyword cardamom, ginger beer, honey, lemon, orange blossom water
vodka

Effortless Jam Cocktail & Mocktail | An Easy 3 Minute Drink Using Ingredients You Already Have on Hand

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Knowing how to make a jam cocktail or mocktail is a game-changer. It's easy to whip up in a moment's notice and feels very fancy.

Knowing how to make a jam cocktail is a game-changer. It’s easy to whip up in a moment’s notice and feels very fancy. The best part is, you’ll probably always have the ingredients on hand– who doesn’t have a jar or three of random jelly, jam, or preserves hiding in the back of the fridge? And if you actually do go out to grab a new jar, you’ll find soo many inspiring possibilities.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

Blueberry preserves, raspberry jalapeno jam, ORANGE MARMALADE, mango habanero, and of course the classic strawberry and grape. Did you know that there’s such a thing as mint jelly? Yeah. That rocked my world, too. Add a spoonful of jam into any mixed drink and you’ve upped the flavor complexity.

Knowing how to make a jam cocktail or mocktail is a game-changer. It's easy to whip up in a moment's notice and feels very fancy.

Jam cocktails are so customizable. Want something refreshing and light? Add sparkling water. Feeling like a strong drink? Skip it & pour everything into a coupe or martini glass. Don’t feel like imbibing? Forgo the alcohol and enjoy sipping on something besides water. Mocktails require no thought when you know the secret about jam + tonic. And all the pregnant ladies said BLESS.

Flavor Combinations to Try

Need some flavor inspo? Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • gin + blackberry jam + lemon juice + basil + tonic water
  • vodka + apricot preserves + lemon juice + mint + lemon sparkling water
  • tequila + orange marmalade + grapefruit juice + rosemary + club soda
  • white rum + blueberry jam + lime juice + mint + club soda
Knowing how to make a jam cocktail or mocktail is a game-changer. It's easy to whip up in a moment's notice and feels very fancy.

An Outline of Ingredients for a Jam Cocktail or Mocktail

  • 1 1/2 – 2 oz vodka (or gin, whiskey, rum, or tequila… but vodka has the cleanest profile to work with, meaning it won’t compete with your other flavors)
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice or lime juice – fresh is always best
  • spoonful of jam
  • a sprig of a fresh herb – mint & basil pair well with all fruit flavs
  • tonic water, club soda, or unsweetened flavored sparkling water
  • [optional- if you like extra sweet drinks] 1/2 oz simple syrup or honey simple syrup

How to Make a Jam Cocktail or Mocktail

In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, lemon juice, and the herb. Muddle the herb leaves with a muddler or use the back of a spoon to release the flavor. Add the spoonful of jam and several ice cubes. Shake. Strain into a lowball glass that’s filled with ice. Top off the glass with your tonic or sparkling water. Garnish with any leftover herbs.

Jam Cocktail & Mocktail

The easiest way to make a cocktail using ingredients you already have on hand.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½-2 oz liquor like vodka, gin, whiskey, rum, tequila (omit for a mocktail)
  • ¾ oz fresh citrus juice like lemon or lime
  • 1 spoonful jam (any jam will do!)
  • fresh herb like mint, basil, or thyme
  • 2+ oz sparkling water, club soda, or tonic
  • ½ oz simple syrup OPTIONAL

Instructions
 

  • In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, lemon juice, and the herb. Muddle the herb leaves with a muddler or use the back of a spoon to release the flavor.
  • Add the spoonful of jam and several ice cubes.
  • Shake well, about 30 seconds.
  • Strain into a lowball glass that's filled with ice.
  • Top off the glass with your tonic or sparkling water.
  • Garnish with a sprig of herb.½

Notes

If you want to forgo the liquor, this makes a nice and refreshing mocktail.
If you enjoy sweeter drinks, add the 1/2 oz of simple syrup.
Keyword club soda, jam, lemon, lime, sparkling water, tonic
Knowing how to make a jam cocktail or mocktail is a game-changer. It's easy to whip up in a moment's notice and feels very fancy.