The Best Tom Collins

I read in the New York Times that commercial sweet and sour has ruined the taste of a classic Tom Collins, and it made me curious. Sweet and sour is really nothing more than fresh lemon juice (sour) plus simple syrup (sweet), so I gave the "real" thing a try:

Fill a tall glass with ice and add 1-1/2 oz gin . Add the juice of a lemon (no seeds, of course) and 1/2 oz of simple syrup. Fill the glass with club soda and a generous squeeze of lime. Stir and sip.

It tastes amazing! And if you use vodka instead of gin, you have a Vodka Collins.

Bar Tip: You can easily make your own simple syrup by bringing 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan. Simmer on low to medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to room temperature before using. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator.