This is one of those drinks that make me wish my blog could have “smell-o-vision.” I went to the Difford’s Guide site looking for a new gin-and-cucumber cocktail recipe and found this one, which calls for four (count ’em, four) inches of cucumber. That sounded like a lot, but it turns out to be exactly right. As I was muddling this mass of cucumber in the base of my shaker, Nancy walked into the kitchen and immediately exclaimed how great it smelled, and she’s right. This pulpy drink is as aromatic as it is flavorful in all the right ways.

Also, I love munching on lightly salted cucumber slices while I make cucumber drinks, so there’s that. 😄 And BTW, no Hendricks allowed; the cucumber in this recipe carries its weight and then some. I happened to use a delightful potato gin from Maine that my cocktail friend Melinda got for me on a trip to New Hampshire. This is cocktail gold.

CUMBERSOME
4 inches Fresh English cucumber
2 oz Gin of choice
½ oz Campari or Aperol
1 oz Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
½ oz Simple syrup

Quarter the cucumber on the long axis, then cut into ½-1 inch lengths and muddle it all in the base of a shaker. Add the other ingredients, shake with ice for at least 30 seconds, then fine-strain into a chilled glass (straight up). Float a wafer-thin slice of cucumber as a garnish.