Happy October!! I can’t believe it is here already, but I am not complaining, since it is one of my favorite months of the year. My favorite baking season definitely, with all those scrumptuous pumpkin recipes. I can’t wait for my house have that fall baking aroma.
So, I am sure you are wondering why, on this first day of October, I am posting a Cucumber Cooler? Well, I just couldn’t get into fall just yet without posting one more cucumber drink. I saw this drink in Bon Appetit called Ruben’s Cooler No. 2, which I adpated heavily to create this new drink called the Cucumber Cooler. I had all the intentions of following the recipe exactly, until I got to the liquor store. I saw this Cucumber Liquor, and I couldn’t pass it up. It actually tastes good enough to just serve by itself on the rocks.
So – here I am, toasting to the end of summer, and the beginning of fall, with my beloved Cucumber Cooler – cheers!
Ingredients
- 2 cups thinly sliced unpeeled cucumber
- 2 1/2 cups Hendrick’s Gin
- 1 1/4 cups Cucumber liqueur
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups club soda
Preparation
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange cucumber slices in single layer on prepared sheet. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour.
DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.
Combine gin, liqueur, lemon juice, and 2 cups ice in a large pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Stir club soda and frozen cucumber slices into pitcher. Fill 12-ounce highball glasses with ice. Pour cocktail into glasses and serve.
For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Cucumber Cooler
First Look, Then Cook 