It’s not a typo and yes this cocktail is really a John Collins but we misread the name in a cocktail book when we were making it and we definitely preferred Joan. Who wouldn’t prefer the foxy, feisty Joan?
It crossed my mind to add some Cinzano to this as a nod to the classic Joan and Leonard Rossiter adverts but I thought that maybe a name change was enough of a stray from the original recipe.
The John Collins was the original of the Collins cocktails, and it’s made with gin. Other popular ones are the Pedro Collins with rum, Pierre Collins with cognac, the Mick Collins with Irish whisky and now the Joan Collins with attitude and a God given talent for cat fighting in 1980s American soaps. You should serve it in a tall glass but I thought it was more potent for a Friday prettier in these.
To make two of these gorgeous old school divas you will find the recipe below:
Joan Collins
Print recipe
| Serves | 2 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Meal type | Beverage |
What you will need
- 4 measures gin (I used Tanqueray)
- 2 measures fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar syrup
- soda water
- fresh mint leaves (to garnish)
- ice
Instructions
| Step 1 | First make a sugar syrup by adding equal amounts of sugar and water to a pan and bringing it to the boil. Let it bubble for a couple of minutes, stirring as necessary. You can make this in large quantities and store it in the fridge |
| Step 2 | Add the ice to a cocktail shaker followed by all the ingredients bar the mint |
| Step 3 | Shake while humming the Dynasty theme tune loudly, did you know that it's ready when condensation appears on the outside of the cocktail shaker? Well you do now |
| Step 4 | Pour the whole lot, ice and all, don't strain it, into the glass and top with a mint sprig |
| Step 5 | Yes the mint is important, it does look nice but it really adds to the flavour |
| Step 6 | Cheers! Here's to you, me and Joan of course |
Gin! What could be nicer? The Bombay Sapphire peeps (who are moving in down the road from us) were wooing us (‘us’ being the good folk of our village) in the summer with something they called an Elderflower Collins. T’was delicious. The man giving out the free samples recognised me after the 5th though, and i had to stop…
I don’t think anything could be nicer than gin really, except FREE GIN! Elderflower Collins sounds lovely but I would have to rename that Edwyn Collin. RJ, I hope you went home and donned a turban and moustache for maximum master of disguise benefits, i.e a 6th Collins..
GIN! GIN! It’s February Table! I think these are the very thing for me to celebrate Friday.
PS. Slightly disappointed there isn’t a Lewis or Phil yet…
Sup up my virtuous friend for you hath done your penance! Ohh a Lewis, now that would have something a bit, well racy, in it – but also a wee bit predictable and safe, generic vodka? Now if we were talking about the Button – the man himself Jenson then I’d be going all out with the 150yr old single malt. Now the Phil? I’m going to throw Pernod in the hat there because I really can’t stand Pernod..
I will quaff guilt free Table! Now the Lewis I had in mind was possibly before your time… Lewis Collins who used to race round in a Ford Cortina in The Professionals. I thought Scotch perhaps for him. As for the Phil, I’m with you on Pernod. Perfect. I can’t stand it either.
Barnes, where did I get Lewis Hamilton from??!!! Yes, Lewis Collins! Scotch definitely – with ice. That shows you can’t multi task by working on a Friday afternoon while thinking and talking way too much about gin (and #beckhamspants)
I naturally assumed that sampling one too many Joans had caused the confusion Table. I hadn’t factored in #beckhamspants tho
Easy mistake to make Barnes I’m just a giddy young lady and I had just watched #beckhamspants again..
You see yet again we are in accord. Pernod. Gag. #beckhamspants on the other hand…
Table, I was already disguised as a post-war housewife on the occasion of the free gin (village shenanigans) – so it suited me, naturally, to be supping ‘mother’s ruin’. The man from Bombay Sapphire was kind enough to indulge me
We used to use the term, ‘Got your Joan Collins on’ when wearing sunglasses because the light was too bright to cope with after a big night out. Might need them after a few of these. Have a great weekend x
Love it Katie! x
Is it wrong that I really fancy one of these and it’s only 11 o’clock in the morning? *adds mint to shopping list for later*…
No, that is just prior planning!
I think it’s probably only really wrong if you start actually drinking them before 11am …