Cucumber Elderflower Cocktail
Light, summer, refreshing, tasty – yup, these are all descriptors that I want in a cocktail when it’s getting hotter. A citrus kick, a cooling flair, an unctuous mouthfeel (but maybe not a milkshake…today!), why yes, I know exactly the type of drink I need to banish this (basically) summertime heat. It’s time for a Cucumber Elderflower Cocktail!
Yeah, well, so they all can’t be called the Peño Blast, but at least you know what you’re getting with this one straight from the name.
I’d been wanting to whip up another cocktail for a while that combined both gin (gin heads unite!) and cucumbers, but that wasn’t just a few slices of cucumbers combined with gin and topped with tonic. Though tasty, I felt like we could up our game.
Hence, I started with the gin and cucumber, then needed to balance that out with some citrus — in this case, a splash of lemon juice. It adds that nice brightness. However, with just those, we were basically in Gin and Tonic territory, and that’s not the territory I wanted to explore.
That’s why I decided it was time to dive into the bag of summer tricks and bust out with some elderflower liqueur — because it’s tasty, awesome, delicious and screams fruity, but with class. Fruit class. Très chic.
At this point, we were basically there, except we needed some balance to those fruity, citrusy, cucumbery notes. Do you know what I think goes famously with gin? Vermouth. In our house, Friday nights are Martini Nights (patent not pending, start the trend at your own house too!) and mine is always, without a doubt, a classic Martini with gin and vermouth (all credit to Churchill, but looking through a bottle isn’t good enough for me). However, there being many different varieties of vermouths out there, hunt down a blanc if you can. I think you’ll find it’s a little sweeter, has a bit more herbaceous notes and compliments the drink nicely.
Oh, and finally, that mouthfeel, add an egg white. That way it’s creamy without cream. A healthy summer treat!
We’re so into fitness. In fact, we’re so into fit and trim, better make it a double!
Now, onto the Cucumber Elderflower Cocktail!
- 2 oz. gin
- ¾ oz. elderflower liqueur
- ¼. oz. bianco vermouth
- ¾ oz. lemon juice
- 4-5 slices of cucumber, quartered
- Egg white
- Glass type: coupe
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Slice your 4-5 pieces of cumbers into quarters.
- Put those in your cocktail shaker with gin, elderflower liqueur, vermouth and lemon juice.
- Muddle.
- Gotta release those essential oils.
- Stop muddling, add the egg white and ice.
- I don't do dry shaking, but do that if it's your thing.
- Just shake extra with ice.
- When it's properly frothed, stop shaking.
- This one is gonna take a double strain.
- Pour (and strain with a cocktail strainer) into your coupe.
- Let it settle to get a mighty fine head on the top.
- Zest some lemon and cucumber over the top.
- Now that's a refreshing drink.