After a weekend off, Rob is back with a new cocktail creation perfect for these hot summer days. Nothing says light and easy like this Cucumber Tom Collins. I love when Rob makes these because they are just so refreshing and with pretty much no sugar or anything.
The Tom Collins is the quintessential mid-century American backyard cocktail. I’m sure you can picture it: a citrusy, fizzy cocktail in a tall glass. Think back to any movie involving that time period and they probably are drinking them in it. Its given way to beer in many ways as the cookout drink of choice, but I still love it.
It was popular enough that the highball glass its usually served in has become known as the Collins glass. Its typically a little bit smaller in diameter than a regular highball with very straight walls. You know a cocktail has made it when it’s known for having a special glass to serve it in.
This is actually one of the first cocktails he came up with several years ago now. The first time Rob made it he used Thai Basil as the herb ingredient. Thai Basil isn’t really that common, but we happened to be growing some in our AeroGarden at the time and the flavors just worked so well. If you can’t find Thai basil, don’t worry about it, mint works just as well.
The other great thing about the Collins is you can make it alcohol-free and still have an amazing drink. It’s basically a fizzy lemonade at that point, but who wouldn’t love that on a hot day, young or old!
Cucumber Tom Collins
Ingredients
- 4 Oz Gin
- 8 Oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Oz Simple Syrup
- 8 Oz Club Soda
- 4 Lemon Slices
- 4 Thin Cucumber Strips
Instructions
- Use a vegetable peeler to make the cucumber strips.
- Swirl the strips up the outside of the glasses (2 per glasand place the lemon slices in along the edge of the glass as well.
- In a shaker or mixing glass, combine all of the liquid except the club soda, shake or stir.
- Pour into an ice filled glass.
- Top with the club soda and garnish with mint.
