Antebellum Collins
(courtesy of T. Duncan Mitchell at Chapel Tavern in Reno)
In a cocktail shaker:
2 ounces Old Tom Gin (such as Ransom Old Tom Gin)
1½ ounces honey-lemon shrub (see recipe below)
Fill 2/3 with ice and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds
Strain to ice filled 12-ounce Collins glass
Top w with seltzer
Garnish with lemon twist
Honey-Lemon Shrub
In a non-reactive saucepan, simmer on low 8 ounces honey with 8 ounces good apple cider vinegar (We use Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered) and the zest of two lemons for about an hour, stirring frequently.
Let cool to a safe handling temperature and then strain into a clean container.
FYI: Shrubs are an old Southern tradition dating back to the pre-Civil War era. Back in that day, Southerns would preserve fruit in a vinegar-and-sugar solution. They would mix that with carbonated or still water to make what is a homemade soft drink. Closely related to Thai-style drinking vinegars, the concoctions are tart and refreshing and the perfect foil to hot, humid weather.
