Cooking Lesson #683: Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz

…from the Perspectives’ Happy Hour Bar

How you doin’? It’s Friday and Happy Hour time. By week’s end, especially this week’s end, it is definitely time for cocktails. We have offered Spritzes and Fizzes before, but this one is a little dressier and will really bring out the fancy in you.
 
A Cucumber-Rose Gin Spritz is a classic combination of gin, lemon, and club soda. It gets a refreshing twist with cucumber, basil and black cardamom infused syrup. Dried rose petals add a subtle floral flavor, but more importantly it functions as a beautiful garnish.
 
Prep time:  5 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1-1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) aromatic gin (I prefer Hendricks)
1-1/2 tablespoons Cucumber, Basil and Cardamom Syrup (see ChefSecret below)
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons club soda
Persian cucumber strips and dried rose petals (such as Rose Dose)
 
Directions

1. Combine the gin, syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill shaker with ice cubes, cover and shake vigorously until well chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled cognac snifter glass filled with ice cubes.
4. Top with club soda, and garnish with cucumber strips and dried rose petals.

ChefSecret:  If your garden produces more cukes than you can eat, try this refreshing syrup. It is great with seltzer, in a gin & tonic or just with vodka on the rocks.

                                      Cucumber-Cardamom-Basil Syrup
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
 
Ingredients 
2 large cucumbers
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 large basil leaves
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cardamom pods
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon, juiced
 
Directions

1. Remove the ends of the cucumbers and discard.
2. Using a vegetable peeler slice cucumbers very fine lengthwise.
3. Toss the strips in a bowl with the salt and set aside for a few minutes until the salt has drawn out a good amount of liquid and most of the bitterness.
4. Rinse and drain the cucumbers.
5. In a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, squeeze them a little but not too much.
6. Measure out 1 cup of the cucumbers and reserve the rest for another use.
7. Muddle the basil and add it to the cucumber liquid. Let it steep in the fridge for about 2 hours.
8. Strain the liquid into a saucepan, squeezing the basil well to extract any flavor-packed liquid.
9. Stir in the sugar and cardamom and bring it to a boil, then add lemon juice and reduce heat.
10. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the temperature on a candy thermometer reaches 212⁰ F; stir occasionally.
11. Let the syrup cool slightly, then strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass bottle and let cool.
12. Seal tightly and refrigerate.

Quip of the Day:  Please drink gin responsibly. Don’t spill it!
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

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