For an after dinner cocktail, gin held the honor as one of the top spirits in the 1950s. Martinis, gimlets, and Tom Collins were all the rage in that decade of renewed optimism and prosperity. Interest in retro drinks has revived as we look back in time with nostalgia and a sense of longing for simpler experiences. Made with gin, simple syrup, and lime juice, gimlets are light and refreshing. Martinis are rather strong and seem the height of sophistication. I’m still waiting for my friend Karen to make me one of her famous dirty martinis. The Tom Collins has a special place in my memory because my mother sometimes served it to treasured guests. The concoction heralds back to the 19th century when similar drinks were served to the in-crowd in fashionable London public houses.
In 1874 a zany hoax game spread like wildfire in the eastern United States and did much to increase the popularity of the cocktail. People would go around asking, “Have you seen Tom Collins?” The point was to trick the recipient of the hoax into acting out and showing himself in the worst possible light. Remind you of today’s demented reality shows? False sightings of Tom Collins sprang up everywhere, and Tom was always purported to be just around the corner.
TOM COLLINS
Ingredients:
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 ounce simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar mixed)
2 ounces gin
Club soda
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Directions:
In an ice filled cocktail shaker, shake the lemon juice, simple syrup, and gin. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with club soda, and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
If you were to have a summertime cocktail, what would you choose?
Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Paranormal Fantasy Romance
Though I am a fan of beer and coffee, the image you posted and the description of the drink makes me think it is really great.
Especially now that here we are in sweltering heat again and more to come for several more days.
Thank you for sharing these memories! As they say, “the good old times”!
I love these drink recipes. I never had a Tom Collins
i always liked its name, Cathy.
Tom Collins is a good ole summertime concoction for sure, Carmen. I never developed a taste for beer, but my son is a fan of the dark ones and I have tasted sips of them. The one he had recently had a coffee flavor.
Oh, put aside a bottle for me too, please. beer/coffee or coffee/bear sounds great. Especially that my blood pressure is low. Have a great weekend!
Come for a visit and I’ll make you a batch, Carmen! I hope your blood pressure stays regulated.
I admit I’ve never had a Tom Collins but it has an old Hollywood appeal to it. Just the name is nostalgic. One of these days, I have to attempt to make one. Happy Friday, Flossie!
Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way, Mae, but you are right. It has a little bit of a Gatsby feel.