A sweet, tangy and tart cocktail, the Cucumber Gin Fizz is cool and relaxing on a hot summer’s day.
It was through my work with Twist & Toast that I discovered the smooth, frothy and easy-to-imbibe joys of a classic Gin Fizz. A crisp London Dry, lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white shaken together and served up, then topped with club soda, the Gin Fizz is a silky, citrus-tinged treat. This cocktail is so good that I have to limit myself to only two, no matter what. They’re so refreshing and satisfying that I drink them too fast. I have to keep reminding myself to savor every sip.
And the same goes for the Ramos Gin Fizz, which adds orange flower water, lime juice and heavy cream to the concoction. Recently, during Mardi Gras, my girlfriend and I played hooky from work and did a little day drinking at the Evangeline Swamp Room in DTLA. There was a live ragtime band, and plenty of po’boys were scarfed down before we indulged in a few Pimm’s Cups and Ramos Gin Fizzes, all before three in the afternoon. It was a glorious day in the City of Angels, and whenever I think of any kind of Gin Fizz, I now think of the sun shining down on me in the town I love so much, with a belly full of good booze and spicy shrimp.
Tonight’s recipe is another fizzy, sweet and tart gin elixir, the Cucumber Gin Fizz. The difference in this drink is the egg white, or lack thereof. This mixture starts off with muddling some of the components, and like the cocktail’s name suggests, with the addition of cucumber, this one won’t just be refreshing, but crisp and snappy too.
What Is The Best Gin To Use In A Cucumber Gin Fizz?
I usually tell folks that the “best” of anything is whatever their favorite brand or bottle of something is, but in the case of the Cucumber Gin Fizz, I’m going to strongly recommend using a Hendrick’s gin. This cucumber and rose-infused spirit is crisp, balanced and incredibly fresh tasting, giving whatever drink you make with it an extra level of refreshment. If you want to let the muddled cucumbers do most of that work, a Beefeater or Bombay London Dry are also fantastic and balanced choices.
Ingredients
- 3 slices cucumber
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces gin
- Seltzer water to top
- Cucumber slice and lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Place the cucumber slices in a cocktail shaker. Add simple syrup and fresh lime juice. Muddle well until the cucumber breaks down.
- Fill the cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top off with seltzer water and give it a gentle stir.
- Add a fresh cucumber slice on the rim of the glass and a lime wedge as garnish. Enjoy!
Nutrition
WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?
Fill a tall collins glass with ice and pour your Fizz in. Garnish with a lime wedge and cucumber slice for an extra zip of freshness and citrus.
CAN YOU USE EGG WHITE IN THIS COCKTAIL?
A Gin Fizz is usually made with egg white, and if you’d like to add a frothy top to your Cucumber Gin Fizz, add some to your shaker with the other ingredients, and dry-shake without ice for about 15 seconds. Then add ice, and shake as usual.
Other Bubbly Gin Cocktails Worth Trying
Gin and club soda work well together and are often the perfect pair. When the sun is beating down and you need something strong, crisp and refreshing in equal amounts, gin and club soda in some kind of combination can often quench your thirst and relieve you from the heat, almost magically. Try out some of these mixtures the next time your throat is dry.
- Lonkero Long Drink – An Olympic combo of gin, grapefruit and club soda.
- Gin Mojito – A gin-based version of the bubbly and minty classic.
- Gin Rickey – Gin, lime juice and club soda always help get the party going.
- Tom Collins – Associated with a 19th-century prank, this refreshing drink is one of my favorites.
Leave a Comment