Food - Drink
The Game-Changing Ingredient You Need For A Refreshing Tom Collins Cocktail
By CHRIS SANDS
The traditional Tom Collins cocktail has a few ingredients, but Tasting Table recipe developer Jaime Shelbert has come up with some game-changing twists on the recipe.
The original Tom Collins uses gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water. Shelbert says to add four ounces of gin, some simple syrup, and club soda to a shaker half-filled with ice.
The twist is that Shelbert uses Meyer lemons instead of standard lemons for the juice in the cocktail. Common lemons add a lot of tartness, but Meyers offer sweetness as well.
Meyer lemons are essentially a hybrid of lemons and mandarin oranges. The fruit's flavor combines bracing tartness with a unique aroma and a complex sweetness.
Lemon peels are the traditional Tom Collins garnish, and Shelbert also recommends using Meyer lemon peels. Meyer lemons also add a more bold and vibrant color to the drink.
After your Tom Collins has been shaken and strained, Shelbert suggests adding a sprig of rosemary or thyme to each glass in addition to the Meyer lemon twist.
The herbal accent pairs nicely with the botanicals in the gin, and adds a pleasantly earthy aroma and a touch of extra class to this classic cocktail's presentation.