Is a 70 degree day in March better than a 78 degree day in September? Probably not, but an incredibly legit question to ask when after what feels like an endless slog of cold, dreary grey days the sun comes out and everyone comes to life. “I was not depressed, I was cold!” wrote the poet Kate Baer on her Instagram story and she was not wrong.
I’ve been working my way through radiation treatments over the last few weeks, and will ring the proverbial bell next Wednesday. It’s a little misleading as I’m merely done with Radiation, not treatment in general, but happy to hit a milestone. I still have a minor surgery next month and some hormone meds headed my way after that, plus a more intense reconstruction toward the end of the year so I am not out of the woods just yet. Radiation treatment however has been pretty tolerable all things considered, and while I’m laying on my back, chest exposed, arms above my head staring at a tiny screen to tell me when to “take a breath and hold” my mind has a tendency to wander. The other day, as temps were forecasted to warm right up, it wandered right toward a cocktail.
Now, compound my desire to drink outside on a warm Spring day (I’m only human) with the fact that I have been influenced by the Mother Influencer herself Meghan Markle Sussex, and I thought hey maybe I too would go all out when having friends over for drinks. We deserve pretty things on pretty days!! Cute glass, flower garnish, cheese and crackers plus earnest photos and a recipe to share. All this plus the fact that my OG driveway drink next-door-neighbor and friend is MOVING* next month, made me want to really go all out in a loving, but knife-twisty kinda way ya know?
The drink is super simple, it’s just a Tom Collins, but instead of topping with club soda, I opted to top it with a sparkling rosé wine. I used an extra floral gin, and dropped a sweet pansy and lemon slice on top. Also, it’s easy to make a batch of the base —I wrote it out to make eight cocktails using one bottle of wine— so you can just pour over ice and top with wine on site right there in the driveway or wherever you find yourself gathering.
I don’t have a very clever name for this drink, so I am calling it a Rose Collins. Tom’s older, boozier sister.
*just 10 minutes away but that can really put a damper on spontaneous afternoon drinking
Rose Collins
Makes enough for 8 drinks:
Ingredients
16 oz gin (I liked this Floral gin, but use your favorite)
6 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
6 oz simple syrup
1 bottle of sparkling rosé wine
Pansies and lemon slices for garnish (optional but encouraged)
Method
In a large measuring cup or quart container, combine gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Stir to combine and chill.
To make the drink: Fill a wine glass with ice. Fill with approximately 4 ounces of Collins base, and top with 3ish ounces of rose! Garnish with flower and lemon slice. Cheers!