Stirred and Shaken

The ratty carpet and neon beer signs were so inviting, I couldn't resist crashing Susie's welcome-home party at the Hunter's Pub [10549 South Post Oak, (713)283-5333]. Susie was celebrating by fleecing a guy at shuffleboard -- the winner took home ten bucks; the loser had to sing a karaoke tune. Meanwhile, some other loser was crooning "Unchained Melody." Connie, the bartender, whipped me up a suitably festive-looking rum collins.

Hunter's Pub's rum collins: The original recipe for a collins called for lemon juice and sugar (or simple syrup) with club soda. But most bars use sweet-and-sour mix now. You can make a collins with gin, rum, vodka or whiskey. With gin, it's known as a Tom Collins, after its inventor.

2 shots Bacardi rum
2 shots sweet-and-sour mix
(or lemonade)
Club soda
Lemon slice
Ice

Fill a tall collins glass with ice. Add the rum, the sweet-and-sour mix, and then fill the glass with soda. Garnish with the lemon slice. Makes one.