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Happy Hour: Tom Collins

YumSugar — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:00:55 -0700

In a memorable scene from last night's episode of AMC's Mad Men, advertising copywriter (and main character) Don Draper, who's known to drink on the job, instructs his 6-year-old daughter Sally how to prepare a Tom Collins for guests.

This gin sour drink, first created in the late 1800s, was a popular Summer sipper in the '50s and '60s, when it was known as "the king of cooling drinks." While it's currently fallen out of favor, perhaps the scene makes a suggestion that it's time to bring back this maraschino-topped crowd-pleaser. To get the classic recipe, read more.

Tom Collins
From Chow

Ingredients

2 ounces gin
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon superfine sugar or Simple Syrup
4 ounces cold club soda
Slice of orange and a maraschino cherry

Directions

Shake gin, lemon juice, and sugar with ice, then pour into a chilled collins glass filled with ice.
Add club soda and garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Print recipe with images | without images

Source

Must-Read: Imbibe

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:15:49 -0700

Living in a cocktail town like San Francisco, I can't help but want to learn more about the ever-evolving art of mixology. Since I've enjoyed my fair share of old-fashioneds at Alembic and sazeracs at Rye, a friend got me a copy of Imbibe!: From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, a Salute in Stories and Drinks to "Professor" Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar by David Wondrich.

Part cocktail-making manual, part biography, and part bartending history, Imbibe is delivered in the same quirky voice as Wondrich's drinks column for Esquire magazine, with a forward by Dale DeGroff. It's a fun book to read front to back, but it's also an extensive recipe collection. For a breakdown of what I liked and what I didn't, read more.

Wondrich's book is a tribute to Jerry Thomas, often considered the godfather of modern bartending thanks to his 1862 cocktail book, which Wondrich uses as a jumping-off point.

Pros:

It's a very fun read, full of edgy humor and hilarious histories.
The book provides a comprehensive breakdown of the cocktail's evolution, from potent punches consumed by army regiments to much-later Manhattans and martinis.
The methods and recipes are very authentic, so Wondrich tells you what modern-day ingredients are the closest approximations to the olden days.

Cons:

In his quest for historical accuracy, the recipes are presented in their original form and often annotated so heavily they are hard to follow.
Many of the more outlandish drinks are fun as curiosities but not something I'd like to make at home.

Recipes: The recipes are interwoven with bits of history and broken down by type (i.e. Punches, The Children of Punch, and Toddies, Slings, Juleps, and Such). The last chapter asks modern mixologists to come up with their own twists on old recipes. Some highlights:

Old-Fashioned Cocktail
John Collins
Philadelphia Fish House Punch
Tom and Jerry
Aviation Cocktail
Whiskey Peach Smash
Homemade Bitters and Fruit Syrups

Imagery: No photos, but there are a few historical illustrations of old bar tools and drinks.

Overall Rating: If you are into cocktails and want some good trivia to toss out at the bar, Imbibe is filled to the brim.

Come Party With Me: Heroes Season Premiere - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:15:51 -0700

I am so excited for Monday night's season premiere of Heroes! As with any TV-watching party, make sure your viewing room is clean and comfortable.

Before the show starts offer the grilled cheese appetizers on a large, black platter. The tomato soup looks scrumptious in Heroes shot glasses. Pour the cocktail into classic Tom Collins glasses.

Let guests eat on individual folding tables and serve the meal in foil TV dinner trays.

Light black candles and fold a couple of throw blankets over the back of a sofa. Place simple but chic plant arrangements around the space. A Heroes poster on the fridge is a delightful last detail.

Photos courtesy of NBC