"Lie in the sunshine, daydream about the life you would lead if failure wasn't a thing.
Open your eyes, take small steps to make it happen for you."
Capturing a moment isn't perchance. If we are creating an environment where moments are welcome - we experience the best ones! Summer time seems to beckon for these moments. Whether it is porch life, beach life, or that thirty minutes we give ourselves to just be.
It is a perfect time to take what the earth produces during the summer days and enjoy it as part of the stage we set to watch for the moments. Let's explore cucumbers!
Cucumber Giblet
4-5 English cucumbers, 1" chunks + more for garnish
2 oz. gin or vodka
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1-2 teaspoon Simple Syrup or honey
1 1/2 oz. Club Soda
1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle cucumber chunks until completely smashed.
2. Add gin or vodka, lime juice and simple syrup or honey.
3. Fill shaker with ice and shake vigorously until chilled.
4. Adjust sweetener with additional simple syrup or honey as needed.
5. Strain drink into a rocks glass filled with ice.
6. Top with club soda.
7. Garnish with skewered cucumber ribbons.
8. To Summer living!
To make a cucumber ribbon, use a vegetable peeler to peel lengthwise down the cucumber, you'll need to make a few peels until you get a nice thick peel from the center of the cucumber. Fold the cucumber ribbon back and forth into a accordion, then skewer with a cocktail skewer or toothpick.
Grapefruit Gin Fizz Cocktail with Cucumber
3 oz. gin
6 oz. grapefruit juice
4 oz. seltzer water
4 slices cucumber
2 Rosemary sprigs and grapefruit slices for garnish
1. In a cocktail shaker combine gin, grapefruit juice and ice cubes.
2. Shake well and strain into two glasses.
3. Top with seltzer water
4. Garnish with cucumber slices, grapefruit slices and rosemary sprigs.
5. Enjoy!
Watermelon Cucumber Cocktail
4 oz. Cucumber vodka
4 1-inch cubes of seedless watermelon
2 limes, diced
2 oz. simply syrup
For Garnish
Lime rim - equal amounts salt & sugar combined with fresh grated lime
2 watermelon slices
2 cucumber slices
2 small mint sprigs
1. Combine vodka, watermelon and lime in a cocktail shaker. Muddle all ingredients well.
2. Add simple syrup, fill with ice, cover and shake until ice cold.
3. Rim the glasses with a cut lime and dip in the lime rim mixture.
4. Fill the glasses with ice and pour the ingredients from the shaker into the glasses.
5. Garnish with a watermelon slice, a cucumber slice and a mint sprig.
6. Cheers!
Spicy Cucumber Kiwi Jalapeno Margarita
for the juice
2 seedless cucumbers, peeled
2 kiwi, peeled
1/4 c. agave syrup
1/2 c. lime juice, fresh squeezed
for the infused tequila
1 1/2 c. tequila
1 jalapeno, quartered
for the rim
1 tablespoon tajin
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
lime wedges
for the garnish
Slice of cucumber
Slice of lime
Slice of kiwi
1. In a blender, combine the cucumber, kiwi, agave and lime juice.
2. Blend on high until mixture is completely smooth.
3. Place a fine mesh sieve over a glass measuring cup or bowl and pour the cucumber mixture through the sieve.
4. Use a spoon to mash down on the solids to extract every bit of juice from the pulp. You should have about 2 cups of juice. Cover and chill.
5. In a glass jar add the jalapeno and cover with tequila. Cover and refrigerate until chilled 2-4 hours, the longer it steeps the spicier it gets.
for each margarita
1. Combine the tajin, salt and sugar in a shallow bowl. Run the wedge of lime around the rim of the glasses. Dip the rims into the tajin mixture until it clings to the glass.
2. In a cocktail shaker add ice, 3 oz. tequila and 2 oz. of juice. Shake well and pour into glasses with a little ice. Garnish.
3. Salud!
Now go lie in the sunshine, daydream and enjoy your cucumber cocktail!
Sources: Zesty Kitchen, Creative Culinary, Garlic & Zest, Love to Know, Sixteen Small Steps to Happiness.
