Something Refreshing
I’m not much of a mixed drink connoisseur. I usually find that I enjoy wine more: sparkling, white Burgundy, and Bordeaux styles. However, a few years ago, while visiting with friends in Yorkshire, England, I discovered a cocktail that even I realized was pretty good. I liked it enough to ask the bartender for the recipe.
It’s called a Hendrick’s Collins. This cocktail is so delicious and refreshing–it’s perfect for a summer afternoon in the garden.
Hendrick’s Collins
*Slightly modified
Ingredients:
One 12 ounce Collins glass
One shot of Hendrick’s Gin (distilled Scottish gin infused with rose & cucumber)
3/4 shot of St. Germain elderflower liqueur
Dash of lemon
3 Cucumber slices
Ice cubes
Soda Water
Cucumber and lemon wedge to garnish
*Belvoir Fruit Farms Elderflower Presse
*Special Note: This is a sparkling beverage that’s handmade in the U.K. and mixes well with gin. I originally had it in England; however, I have purchased it at The Fresh Market grocery store in my area. It can also be ordered online at amazon.com. My preference is to use half soda water and half Belvoir Elderflower Presse in this cocktail.
Preparation:
Fill the Collins glasses with ice. Full size ice cubes will melt more slowly and dilute the drink more slowly.
Add the gin, St. Germain, lemon juice, and cucumber slices into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Cover and shake for several seconds. Strain into a Collins glass and top with soda water (and Elderflower sparkling beverage if you wish). If you desire, remove cucumbers from cocktail shaker and add those to the glass.
Gently stir with a spoon to mix. Garnish with a cucumber slice or a wedge of lemon.
**Tonic water is pictured in the photograph of ingredients, because I accidentally picked up the bottle of tonic water instead of club soda when taking pictures for this post. By the time I realized my mistake, I had already sliced the cucumber. And, I didn’t have another cucumber to re-take the photo. Anyway, please use club soda in this cocktail recipe; it’s much better. 🙂
While in Yorkshire, our friends were kind enough to do a little sightseeing with us. And, while they live near Guisborough and Redcar, they aren’t too far from Whitby By The Sea. So, we had the good fortune to enjoy the lovely hills and dales as well as breathtaking views of the sea. Here are a few photos of our visit.
Categories: Photography, Recipes, Travel, Wine
ooooo I am a big fan of Hendricks Gin! I shall give this one a try… 🙂
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I think you’ll enjoy it! It’s one of my favorite cocktails. 🙂
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I love a long, cool cocktail in a sunny garden! Pimms is a fave, G&T, of course… white wine spritzer as well – but this sounds lovely! I’ll report back when I’ve given it a go… xx MH
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Sounds wonderful–cool cocktails and sunny gardens. It’s hard to go too far wrong with that combination! Thanks–I’d love to know what you think about it! 😊
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The photos looks very beautiful. I am sure it’s refreshing to visit those beautiful places and sea.
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Thank you. 🙂
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Oh Yum!!! I need one of these right now 😀 you picture of Yorkshire are beautiful too. I never made it to that part of England.
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Thanks, Mel. I concur; it’s quite yummy! 😉 And, North Yorkshire is lovely. 😊
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Gorgeous shots…interesting there are inclines….I thought that was a Pittsburgh thing! Who knew!?
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Thanks so much! I’ve never been to Pittsburgh, and this was the first time I’d ever seen an incline. It’s actually called a funicular railway over there. It’s located in Saltburn-by-the-Sea and was built in 1884.
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Pittsburgh actually has 2 and they’re not far from each other which doesn’t make much sense from me, but people do use them still to get to/from work in the City from the Mt. Washington area above. Funicular railway now added to my vocab, thank you!
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That’s so interesting! Thanks for sharing, Torrie. Haha! Glad I could add to your vocabulary. See, Edwina/ Judy isn’t the only one with “wacky words.” 😉
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Yummy! I love gin, but I can’t drink it. It gives me dreadful headaches. Still, it does look delicious, and I can imagine its taste!
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I’m sorry about the gin and headache connection. That’s not fun, especially since it’s something you enjoy! But, you’re very sweet to comment on the merits of the cocktail. 😊 xo
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Well yeah, cause it’s delicious! I was so fond of these hard lemonades one summer, then two weeks without, then a gin & tonic, and I finally put it together with the headaches. Now and again, I’ll try again, but so far, Joey 0, Gin 1287843! LOL
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Thanks, Joey! Perseverance is a good thing. 😉
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I’ve never heard of St. Germain elderflower liqueur. I’ll be on the lookout for it. The drink sounds tasty! As for the photos, they’re beautiful, Tonya!
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Thanks, Rob! We loved North Yorkshire. I’d never heard of St. Germain elderflower liqueur either, but it’s really nice in this cocktail. 🙂
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Great photos Tonya, Mr Grump loves Hendricks gin. 🙂
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Thanks, Judy! I really like Hendricks, too. The floral notes are nice. 🙂
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Looking forward to trying this refreshing recipe!
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Thanks, Becky. It’s wonderful! 🙂
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Beautiful! That is my favourite cocktail too!
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Thanks so much! It’s delightful! 🙂
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