Summer's Ginlicious made with fresh-squeezed grapefruit and mint

Ginlicious: This summer's favorite cocktail

Summer just got more delicious. I’m always looking for a new way to create classic drinks. A drink that’s fresh with few ingredients and full of flavor. 

"Forget your troubles come on get happy. We're gonna wash all those blues away. A sprig of mint and some simple syrup. Fresh-squeezed juice, club soda, and Tanqueray."  

Gin cocktails have been around for a long time. Some of the classics: Gin and Tonic, Sloe Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, and Giblet, to name a few. I'm trusting my old friend Tanqueray for this cocktail because it rarely disappoints. 

I digress...back in the day, during the Bogeys' days, Gin & Tonic was one of my favorites. Bogeys was a downtown bar on Broadway between Water and Market Streets. It was a crazy, wild place that many frequented for an ice-cold beer, a  headbanger band, or a game of quarters. Not a classy joint but a fun one!

Class or no class, Gin & Tonic is still one of my all-time favorite drinks, however, it's time to shake it up. Ginlicious requires few ingredients. Sip it on the patio or deck and enjoy. 

Ginlicious
Shot of Tanqueray 
¼ of the juice from a whole grapefruit
A teaspoon of simple sugar
Club Soda
Cocktail Shaker
Sprig of fresh mint

Add ice chips to the shaker. Add the gin, grapefruit juice, and sugar to the shaker and shake it. In a tall glass, pour the mixture over cubed ice. Finish filling with club soda. Add a sprig of mint and a twist of grapefruit rind. Enjoy the flavor. The most wonderful sip is the first when you breathe in the mint. Fantastic.