Cucumber, lime, mint and vodka are all shaken up to create this light and refreshing Cucumber Crush Cocktail that you have just got to try!!!
Welcome back my cocktail loving friends, to the third instalment of my new series on building your own bar. And if you aren't up to pace on what's going on here with this series here's a quick rundown. Basically I want to help you guys to build up your own home bar that you can create spectacular cocktails with. My plan is to slowly introduce new bottles of spirits and liqueurs and use my years of knowledge to show you what to make with them. And if you want to know more or maybe you want to follow along on this journey, which would be so super cool, you can read all about it HERE.
So today we are going to use that bottle of crystal clear vodka that we all bought to make this light and refreshing Cucumber Crush Cocktail. And if you haven't tried cucumber in a cocktail before, then you are in for a real treat.
For all the years that I have been mixing drinks, it has only been in the last few that I have been using cucumber as a cocktail ingredient. To be honest the thought had never crossed my mind. I know that tomato juice has been used in Bloody Mary's cocktails for a long time, and even though technically a fruit, it is still really considered a vegetable because of the way we use it. But I would never have actually thought about using other types of vegetables, like cucumber, in alcoholic drinks, until I tried Hendricks gin that is.
Hendricks gin has got to be my favourite gin to drink, it is much more delicate than other gins and is infused with rose and cucumber flavors. Which is why whenever you order a Hendricks gin it is (should be) served with sliced cucumber instead of the traditional lemon/lime wedges. And this was how I was first introduced to the wonder of adding cucumber into beverages.
OK, enough about gin and cucumbers, let's get back to our bottle of vodka. So today you are going to need your BOSTON SHAKER, your HAWTHORN STRAINER, your JIGGER and a MUDDLER
First start off by muddling the cucumber chunks, lime wedges and sugar syrup in the glass part of the Boston shaker with your muddler. You want to muddle this for at least a minute, I know this may seem like a long time but this releases the oils from the lime skin which gives the cocktail a greater depth in flavor.
Then slap the mint leaves and drop into Boston shaker. To do this hold the leaves in the palm of one hand and slap with the other, like a clapping motion. This releases the mintyness of the leaves. Do not muddle the mint leaves, this just bruises and rips the leaves up.
Using your jigger pour the vodka into the Boston shaker. Now if you want to make your glass all sexy with the cucumber peels and crushed ice, then do it now before adding the ice to the Boston shaker. To crush the ice you can either use you flash ICE CRUSHER or wrap the ice cubes in a fluff-free tea towel and bash the hell out of it with your muddler. Or of course you can just use regular ice cubes.
Now add the ice cubes to the Boston shaker, place the metal tin part of shaker on and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Then strain into prepared glass using your hawthorn strainer. To finish the cocktail off fill glass with either sparking mineral water or soda water and add a mint sprig.
I hope you guys love this delightfully light and refreshing Cucumber Crush Cocktail. And if I haven't convinced you on trying this slightly unusual cocktail out, please believe me when I say it is truly delicious. Trust me!!
And no it tastes nothing like salad…hahaha.
If you try this and would love to hear about so make sure you leave a comment below.
Till next week, cheers guys.
Ingredients
- ½ lime cut into wedges
- 2 inches 5cm cucumber, cut into 12 cubes
- ½ ounce 15ml sugar syrup
- 6 mint leaves clapped
- 1½ ounces 45ml vodka
- Ice cubes
- Crushed ice
- Sparkling water or soda water
- Cucumber peels and mint sprig
Instructions
- Place lime, cucumber and sugar syrup into glass part of Boston shaker and muddle with muddler for about 1 minute. Add mint leaves and vodka.
- Prepare glass by sticking cucumber on inside of glass. Fill glass with crushed ice.
- Place ice cubes into Boston shaker, place metal tin part on top, then shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Using hawthorn strainer strain cocktail from metal tin into the prepared glass. Top with sparkling/soda water and garnish with mint sprig.
- Drink 🙂
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