Florodora

The month of May beckons for cooling drinks to sip in the afternoon shade and this old timer won't let you down. It's fresh, fruity and slightly spicy.

4 cl gin

2 cl lime juice

1 cl raspberry syrup

Ginger ale or beer

Shake the first three ingredients with ice. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice, and top up with ginger ale. Add a slice of lime as garnish.

You can increase the alcohol level by using a raspberry liqueur, e.g. Chambord.

The drink was created in 1901 by a barman in New York to celebrate the opening of a Broadway musical called Florodora. The musical was immensely popular not least for its chorus girls, one of whom was the first to taste the drink. This is how the girls were described: "A sextette of tall, gorgeous damsels, clad in pink walking costumes, black picture hats and carrying frilly parasols swished onto the stage and captivated New York for no other reason than they were utterly stunning."