Friday cocktail: raspberry collins

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Raspberries are just coming into season now and, being beautifully colourful and not too sweet, they’re great in cocktails. I used to think the collins, served on ice and topped up with soda, was a bit too watered down for my tastes. I’m coming round to its charms, though. As you get down the glass, the flavour intensifies, and from top to bottom this is a refreshing, summery drink. Even if it rains this weekend, a raspberry collins will brighten things up no end.

Raspberry collins

5 fresh raspberries

25ml simple syrup*

50ml gin

25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus a lemon wedge to serve

Soda water

Muddle the raspberries and syrup in a highball glass, then add the gin and lemon juice. Stir well, then fill the glass with ice, top up with soda water and pop in a lemon wedge.

*To make your own simple syrup, dissolve some caster sugar in an equal weight of almost-boiled water in a pan, then allow to cool. It will keep in a sterilised bottle in the fridge for a couple of weeks.