Gin Daisy Recipe

A Daisy cocktail is essentially an icy-cold sour with soda water added; the base could be pretty much any spirit. It's often served in a Julep cup, though it's not as straight-up boozy as a classic Julep.

We particularly like a Daisy made with rich Old Tom gin and high-quality grenadine, such as the one from Small Hand Foods. The resulting drink is bright and tart, with delicate herbal and berry flavors and a pale pink color.

Why this Recipe Works:

• Old Tom gin adds a little richness and a touch of essential sweetness to the lemon-heavy drink.
• Adding the seltzer to the shaker after shaking ensures that you won't end up with seltzer on top and all the booze in the bottom of your glass.

Note: Even though Old Tom gin tends to have some sweetness, this drink needs a bit of simple syrup to round off the tartness of the lemon. If you like your drinks on the sweeter side, you may want to taste and bump the quantity up to 1 teaspoon. To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Cool before using. Simple syrup will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.