Interesting thread. Has anyone here ever heard of a French 75? It's my favorite summer drink. And very similar to a Tom Collins:
1) You start with 2 oz. of a good gin. (I like Tanqueray, or Bombay Sapphire.)
2) Add 1 oz. of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1 oz. of simple syrup. You shake this over 1 cup of ice, then pour it into an 8 oz. glass filled with fresh ice.
3) Then you finish it with 2 oz. of chilled club soda. And add a slice of lemon as a garnish.
A French 75 is exactly the same, except that in step 3 you add chilled Brut champagne instead of club soda.
So why is it called a French 75? According to legend, the French army in WWI had an artillery piece which fired 75mm shells, each weighing from 12-15 lbs. It had such a vicious recoil, that it was said to be as dangerous to the gun crew as it was to the Germans. The French 75 cocktail has the same kick.