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I need to be better at planning Zoom dates. I’ve not really been keeping up with my writing group during their weekly online meetups as I’ve found writing almost impossible during the lockdown, and technical issues have been keeping me from taking part in larger gatherings in the evening. However, I can manage one-to-one Whatsapp video calls no problem, and I can tell you after a two hour gossip-cocktail-catchup session with my best friend last night today feels like a brand new day.
You can bet that after I photographed these Cucumber & Elderflower Gimlets yesterday afternoon (sorry these photos are still so dark, my most of my equipment is still in London!) they went back into a jug in the fridge so they were nice and ice cold for me to sip for our girly cocktail date!
I love a good classic gimlet as it is a nice, drinkable citrus and gin based cocktail (lime juice, gin and sugar syrup) but this spring version is something special. Inspired by (though not adapted from) a similar cocktail shaken with an egg white in David Lebovitz’ brilliant new book Drinking French(ad) this simple twist on the classic has a sweet floral note from very seasonal, floral St. Germain elderflower liquor, and is made super refreshing and given a pretty light green hue with the addition of muddled cucumber.
These Cucumber & Elderflower Gimlets are a bright, refreshing gin based cocktail, perfect for late spring and early summer.
Ingredients
Scale
75 ml () gin (3 small jiggers)
50ml () St. Germain (2 small jiggers)
50ml () fresh lime juice (2 small jiggers)
2 tsp simple syrup (see note)
1/2 english cucumber, in large chunks
large handful ice
Instructions
Add all the ingredients except for the ice to a cocktail shaker and using a muddler or a wooden spoon muddle the cucumber until it has broken up and the mixture has turned a beautiful green colour.
Add the ice to the shaker and shake vigorously.
Strain into two cocktail glasses and serve with thin wheel of cucumber as a garnish, if you wish.
Notes
To make simple syrup, dissolve equal parts sugar in water over a low heat.
I'm a food writer living in the English Countryside. Welcome to my online diary where I share easy, weeknight recipes, foodie travel diaries and some of the best places I've eaten out recently.
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