Tag Archives: Cucumber

Celebrate National Mojito Day With These Summertime Favorites

Cocktails / July 10, 2017 / No Comments.

Happy (Almost) National Mojito Day! If you aren’t planning on guzzling down what is the deliciousness of a mojito tomorrow, have no fear DIA is here. After all, it’s the only day a year that drinking mojitos truly counts…

LOL, who are we kidding?! National Day or not- mojitos always count and are always worth it.

Since National Mojito Day tomorrow, it can’t hurt to be prepared with these delicious summer finds. Thus, how to jazz up your mojito game:

Blackberry Mint Mojito

What You’ll Need:
– 2 oz. blackberry juice (1 pint blackberries + 1/2 cup water)
– 6 mint leaves
– Juice from 1/2 a lime
– 2 oz. rum
– Soda water
How To Make:
-In a blender, combine the blackberries and water. Blend until pureed. Strain the juice thru a fine mesh sieve and discard all the seeds.
– In a glass, add the mint leaves, juice from half a lime and the lime rind, and a splash of the soda water. Gently muddle to release the flavor from the mint leaves. Fill the glass with ice and add the rum, blackberry juice, and top with soda water. Stir to combine. Garnish with lime wedge, mint sprig and blackberries.

Passion Fruit Mango Mojito

What You’ll Need:
– 1 oz. lime juice
– 2 oz. passion fruit (pulp + seeds)
– 3 oz. club soda
– 1 oz. white rum or light rum
– 6 mint leaves
– 2 tbsp. sugar
– Handful of crushed ice
– Extra lime + mint for garnish
How To Make:
– Muddle mint leaves with sugar and lime juice in a tall glass.
– Stir in passion fruit, club soda, and rum.
– Add crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig. Serve immediately.

Cucumber Kiwi Mojito

What You’ll Need:
– 1 lime, juice
– 1 tbsp. sugar
– 2 ripe kiwis, peeled + sliced
– 1/2 cucumber, peeled + sliced
– 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
– 1 lime, sliced
– 2 oz. rum
– Club soda + ice
How To Make:
– Add the lime juice and sugar into a cocktail shaker. Swirl around and allow to dissolve for a minute.
-Throw in the kiwi and cucumber slices into a cocktail shaker along with the mint. Muddle with a spoon until completely broken down. Add the rum and fill with ice. Cover and shake vigorously for few seconds until chilled. Strain into two glasses (filled with ice) and top each with club soda. Garnish with mint, kiwi slice and lime slice.

Cherry Mojito

What You’ll Need:
– 2 cups pitted cherries
– 8 mint leaves
– 1/4 cup sugar
– 1/4 cup lime juice
– Zest from 1 lime
– 4 cups ice
– 1 cup rum
– 2 cups club soda
How To Make:
– In a blender add the cherries, mint leaves, lime zest, lime juice, sugar and 2 cups of the ice. Blend well until it’s all slushy.
– To the blender, add the remaining ice, rum and club soda. Stir well and serve.

Strawberry Pineapple Mojito

What You’ll Need:
– 1 tbsp. sugar
– 6 mint leaves
– 1/4 lime
– 2 strawberries, hulled + sliced
– 2 oz. pineapple juice
– 2 oz. Malibu Coconut Rum
– 2 oz. 7UP
– Ice
How To Make:
– In a glass or mason jar, muddle together the sugar, mint leaves, lime, and strawberries.
– Add in the pineapple juice, rum, and 7UP. Stir together and top with crushed ice. Enjoy!

Ice Cubes That Are Everything But Boring

Cocktails / June 15, 2017 / No Comments.

My girlfriend and I were planning our first visit to her family’s home in another state. In preparation, girlfriend’s mom called girlfriend to ask what kind of things I like, so she could stock up and make it a comfortable visit for me. Very sweet of her. My girlfriend’s answer was … ice.

My now-mother-in-law might have thought I was insane, but if so, she kept it well hidden. And, sure enough, the freezer was packed to the brim with ice cubes when we arrived.

It’s true: I use a lot of ice. Love the stuff. I want my cocktails packed with ice to the brim. I want my cooler full of so much ice that my hand goes numb while I’m fishing around for a beer.

So I appreciate any innovations in the ice game. Like those frozen-coffee ice cubes for your iced coffee, which are brilliant.

And now: flavored ice cubes for your summer cocktail, courtesy of those geniuses at People Magazine. I thought identifying the Sexiest Man Alive was People’s best idea ever, but they’ve outdone themselves with this one.

My favorite is ginger-cucumber ice cubes for your mojito:

Add ¼ cup thinly sliced seedless cucumbers to ice cube tray. Stir together 1 tbsp. grated ginger and 1 cup water; pour over cucumber, and freeze. Serve in a mojito.

The honey-lemon cubes are a close second, though.

Dissolve 1/2 cup honey and 1 cup hot water then let cool. Stir in 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice and sliced lemon peel. Pour it into your tray and freeze. Serve with bourbon or iced tea.

For more options, check out people.com. People, this ice aficionado thanks you.

Image via People.com

Big Batch Lemonade Booze

Cocktails / August 20, 2015 / No Comments.

We love lemonade; we basically consider it to be the nectar of the gods. On a hot day, what else could be as refreshing as an ice-cold glass of the sweetest, freshest lemonade you’ve ever tasted? Pretty much nothing. For National Lemonade Day, we’re celebrating by adding alcohol to this traditional summer treat (naturally), and we suggest that you do too:

Boozy Watermelon Mint Lemonade: (8 servings)

2.5 lbs. watermelon chunks, seeds removed
¼ cucumber, cut into chunks
1 cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup packed mint leaves
2.5 cups white rum or vodka
¼ cup agave syrup or simple syrup
lemon slices and mint leaves (for garnish)

In a blender, pulse together watermelon, cucumber, and mint. Add the lemon juice and puree until mixture is smooth. Strain into a pitcher and mix in your choice of alcohol and syrup. Stir well. Add lemon slices and ice to the pitcher. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and serve.

Recipe found on hostthetoast.com

Apple, Lemon and Gin Shandy: (8 servings)

3 large granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
½ cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. fresh shredded ginger
½ cup simple syrup
2 cups gin
1 (12 oz.) bottle chilled Pilsner beer
apple and lemon slices (for garnish)

In a blender, puree apples, lemon juice and ginger together. Strain mixture into a large pitcher and stir in gin and simple syrup. Chill for up to 2 hours. Add beer to pitcher and stir gently, then serve over ice.

Recipe found on myrecipes.com

Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade: (4 – 6 servings)

1 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup fine sugar
2 pints blueberries, pureed and strained
½ cup elderflower liqueur
2 cups sparkling wine
ice
blueberries (for garnish)

Add lemon juice, sugar and 3 cups of water to a pitcher and stir until sugar dissolves completely. Add blueberries and elderflower liqueur and place in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, top with sparkling wine, ice and fresh blueberries. Stir once more and then serve over ice.

Recipe found on spoonforkbacon.com

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Hendrick’s Flying Cucumber

Cocktails / April 18, 2015 / No Comments.

After finding much success with their cucumber infused gin, Hendrick’s decided there was only one thing left to do: Make a flying cucumber.

Measuring in at 130 feet in length, this dirigible will be flying coast to coast from April to August with drinkers aboard. Making stops in LA, San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, South Florida, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Ann Arbor, Indianapolis, and Chicago, you’re likely to spot this high flying vegetable at least once.

Hendrick’s knows their drinkers like to take it easy and appreciate the little things. That’s why their airship doesn’t exceed 35 mph. It brings passengers back to the days of flying for the experience, not the convenience. Those on board the cucumber get to take in the sights with a drink in hand. What’s better than that?

If you’re looking to ride in style, you can win a seat by snapping a pic of the aircraft and using the hashtags #HendricksGin and #FlyingCucumber on Twitter and Instagram. Happy flying!

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Booze News Weekly

Booze News Weekly / April 1, 2015 / No Comments.

Do you ever find yourself getting bored with your go-to booze? When you’ve grown tired of that mundane drink order, we’ll be here to walk you through what’s new and noteworthy this week:

Oopsy Daisy: Middlebury, Vermont’s Woodchuck Hard Cider released a new brew for its Out on a Limb series—Oopsy Daisy cider. Made from McIntosh and Cortland apples, this booze is far from a mistake; its chamomile flower aroma and subtle notes of honey and citrus make it a six-pack you’ll want to savor.

Chill as a Cucumber: Just in time for spring, Pinnacle Vodka has added yet another flavored spirit to their ever-expanding collection. Pinnacle’s Cucumber flavored vodka is a light and refreshing way to mix things up, especially if you’re a fan of liquor with subtle hints of sweet vanilla.

Just Peachy: Terrapin’s famous Maggie’s Peach Farmhouse Ale is arriving in cans this spring, making it easier to enjoy and tote outside in the upcoming warm weather. With a combination of sweet peach and stimulating spice, you may find yourself sipping this brew all summer long.

Gin for All: Brockmans super premium gin is moving on up. Originally only offered in a few states, Brockmans Gin will now be available in Connecticut and Rhode Island, expanding its overall presence throughout the Northeast. We suggest making yourself a gin and tonic to celebrate.

Boston Marathon Beer: Samuel Adams announced the return of its light-bodied Boston 26.2 Brew in celebration of the 119^th Boston Marathon. Even if you’re not planning on participating in the race, there’s nothing preventing you from finishing a few Boston 26.2 Brews during the event.

Old Bay Brews: If you’re not from Maryland, you may not cherish McCormick & Co.’s Old Bay seasoning as much as Marlanders do. Still, the state’s Flying Dog Brewery is bringing back its Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale just in time for you to befriend the spice. Later this summer, lookout for Double Dead Rise Old Bay Summer Ale—an even hotter version of the original brew.

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Creative Cocktail Cups That You Can (Sometimes) Eat

Cocktails / July 20, 2014 / No Comments.

Cocktails are always a good time. We love nothing more than a quality drink, some fine people, and a night out on the town. But there’s one minor detail that can spice up any drinking occasion—an edible beverage glass. You’ve probably dabbled with an ice shot or even a tropical coconut cocktail on vacation, but that’s not nearly the extent of these unique creations. When you need to quench your thirst, step up your alcohol game with one or all of these appetizing vessels.

Cucumber Cups

Great for holding a gin and tonic or a shot of your choice.

2-3 English cucumbers
knife
small circle cookie cutters
small carving knife or thin paring knife
1/4 tsp & 1/2 tsp (scoop style) measuring spoons

Wash the cucumbers. Slice them into sections by cutting at a 90-degree angle to the edge, so the cups will sit flat. Each cucumber will likely produce 3-4 cocktail cups. Use the small circle cookie cutter to make centered circle impressions on what will be the tops of your sections– you’ll use these as guides when you cut out the inside of the cup. Be sure to leave enough “flesh” around the border of the cucumber for substantially thick walls. Use your tiny carving knife or paring knife to cut through the cucumber following the circle guides. Try to leave a bottom of at least 1/4″.

Lemon Drop Shots

An easy solution to drinking for when life gives you lemons.

6 lemons (for 12 lemon drop shots)
1/2 c. vodka
1 tsp. sugar (per each half a lemon)

Slice all of the lemons in half and squeeze the juice out of them into a bowl. Using your hands or a spoon, remove the insides of the lemon. Set aside. Mix the lemon juice you squeezed with equal part vodka. (So, 1/2 a cup of lemon juice would be 1/2 a cup of vodka. 1/4 cup juice, 1/4 cup vodka…etc.). Set your empty lemons inside of egg holders/mini muffin tins so they sit upright. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of sugar (or more) inside each lemon. Pour your lemon juice/vodka into each lemon. Freeze until ready to serve.

Cherry Tomato Shooters

Fill to the top with a Bloody Mary and indulge in a tiny tipsy treat.

12 cherry tomatoes (made into shot glasses)
1-1/2 oz. vodka
1 oz. Bloody Mary mix (or tomato juice)
1 lime wedge
Horseradish, to taste
Ice

Cut the top off of the cherry tomatoes. Using a small paring knife, cut around the inside of the tomato and scoop out seeds and flesh, being careful not to puncture. Mix vodka, bloody mary mix, lime and horseradish over ice. Strain into a measuring cup and pour into tomato shot glasses.

Watermelon Sippers

Enjoy with some good tequila or a tangy watermelon margarita.

12 watermelon wedges (made into cups)
1-1/2 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 oz. sweet and sour mix
1 small watermelon slice
1/4 lime
Ice

Scoop out watermelon balls with a 1-1/2-inch ice cream scooper. Cut a small slice off the bottom so each piece sits flat. Use a melon baller to scoop the insides out from the top, being careful not to puncture. To fill with watermelon margarita, cut some watermelon off the rind and place in a martini shaker with lime. Mix really well. Add tequila, triple sec and sweet and sour mix and shake with ice. Strain into a measuring cup and pour into watermelon sippers.

Have another cocktail cup recipe in mind? Let us know!

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Free Stuff People Sent Us That We May Or May Not Like. Round XIX.

Our Stories / March 30, 2013 / 1 Comment.

Cucumbers have been a longtime garnish for drinks but in recent years, the veggie has taken center stage as a main ingredient in cocktails and even spirits. It seems that people have been obsessing over it recently, and we discovered a hidden gem this week: Square One Cucumber.

We won’t lie; we were a little skeptical when we received the cucumber vodka. We typically prefer our spirits unflavored, but Square One is hard to deny. The vodka is purely organic, distilled from 100% American rye. How could we resist?

We always smell before we taste and this one was quite the surprise. Straight cucumber. Almost as if there was one soaking in the bottle, or we were just smelling a cucumber slice.

When we sipped it straight you immediately were hit with a strong cucumber flavor, and a subtle burn of vodka in the finish. And when we put it into a cocktail with soda, wow. If we didn’t know we were tasting a vodka, we’d think we were drinking cucumber water. The cucumber taste was strong and there was barely any trace of alcohol making it very easy to sip. We’ve already added it to our summer drinks repertoire.

Needless to say, the vodka was great. At about $35 a bottle, it won’t be our staple but we would definitely invest on occasion.

Have you tried cucumber booze? Did you like it?

How to Drink a Cucumber

Our Stories / June 19, 2012 / 2 Comments.

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There are plenty of reasons to love cucumbers. Some people have an olfactory response to them (though our nose doesn’t find them particularly odiferous). And bartenders and restaurants adore them, especially in warm weather, for their fresh contribution and easy food-pairing ability.
The cucumber is originally from India and is a member of the gourd family. Botanically, they are classified as fruits. (That’s a good little slice of trivia.)
They are more than 90% water. And China produces 60% of them.
Now for the doctorly stuff. At the top of the phytonutrient list for cucumbers are its cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoids. These three types of phytonutrients provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits.
A word about the wax sometimes found on store-bought cucumbers. Organic cucumbers are sealed with non-synthetic waxes whereas conventional cucumbers may be waxed with synthetic waxes that contain chemical contaminants. (We don’t have to tell you what to do with this information.)
You might find more cucumber cocktails offered in Asian restaurants. Here are a few you can make at home:

Fresh Cut
1.5 oz. Square One Cucumber Organic Vodka
3/4 oz. Cointreau
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. agave nectar or simple syrup
6 – 10 Mint leaves

Tear the mint leaves in half and place in mixing cup with lemon juice and sweetener. Muddle mint well, then add Square One Cucumber and Cointreau with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled martini glass. Cocktail should appear crystal green. Garnish with long lime shavings from your zester, which will look like fresh cut grass in the drink.

“H”
1 1/2 oz. Square One Cucumber Organic Vodka
3/4 oz. St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/4 oz. simple syrup
Soda Water

Cucumber sliced lengthwise and sprinkle of pepper for garnish.

Lay Collins glass on its side, slide cucumber slice along side of glass and then add ice to keep cucumber in place. Pour all ingredients, except soda, into a mixing glass and shake well. Strain into Collins glass filled with ice and cucumber slice. Top with soda water and sprinkle of black pepper.

Cucumber Margarita

Take a 4-inch cucumber and cut into chunks — no need to peel.
Toss into a blender filled with Sauza Hornitos Tequila, triple sec, simple syrup, sweet and sour, and ice.