Joy the Baker

Cucumber Gin Salt and Pepper Cups

by 60 Comments

IMG_3566

I’ve been thinking about your weekend.

I actually started thinking about your weekend last Monday… that’s how I operate.

IMG_3563

I was thinking that these Cucumber Gin Salt and Pepper Cups would be an amazing addition to your sleeping in, late breakfasting, and shoe shopping.  That’s totally your weekend right?  Stress-free and shoppy?  I know… me neither.  But at least we can make the weekend gin-y and super fresh!

Happy Weekend to you!

IMG_3520

I made this cocktail look like science.  Really it’s just a boozy mixture with fresh cucumber juice, lime, and sparkling water.  It’s like the science and boozy version of spa water.  Minus the science, plus the glass beakers.  You know.

IMG_3537

The juices and gin are stirred with ice.  Cucumber juice is so refreshing, light, and green!  I love the tint it adds to the cocktail.  Lime adds a much needed mouth-pucker.  There’s also a bit of sweetness to round out this cocktail.  I made a devastatingly easy simple syrup.  If you’ve never made simple syrup, it’s a mixture of equal parts water and sugar heated until the syrup dissolves.  It’s the best way to sweeten a cocktail without trying to dissolve granulated sugar in cold gin.

Now… if you want to talk about cucumber juice, you should know that it’s super easy to make with a juicer.  If you don’t have a juicer, blending cucumber in a food processor and then pressing it through a fine mesh strainer works, it’s just a bit more time-consuming.

Also… if you want to talk about my creepy fingers, that topic is actually closed for discussion.

IMG_3577

Salt and pepper too!?  Heck yes!  The salt and pepper add the perfect compliment to the sweet/tart/fresh nature of the cocktail.  Salt enhances the flavors.  Pepper adds just a hint of heat, but it’s super subtle.

These cocktails were inspired by a cocktail I had at the Soho House.  I had one, and now we all should enjoy.

Cucumber and Gin Salt and Pepper Cups

serves 4

Print this Recipe!

lots of ice

1 cup gin

1 cup cucumber juice*

1/2 cup lime juice**

1/3 cup simple syrup

2 cups sparkling water

sliced cucumber rounds

coarse sea salt

cracked black peppercorns

* I used my juicer to make cucumber juice.  If you don’t have a juicer making cucumber juice can be a bit trickier.  Blending cucumber in a food processor and pressing it through a fine mesh strainer works though it is slightly more time consuming.

** Simple syrup is a mixture of equal parts sugar and water heated until the sugar dissolves. Heat 1/3 cup water with 1/3 cup granulated sugar and stir until sugar dissolves.

In a large glass pitcher filled with ice, stir together gin, cucumber juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.  Stir until combined and chilled.  Stir in sparkling water.  Pour over ice and garnish with cucumber slices, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.  

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jules

    Some of these comments about your hands crack me up. But seriously, before I read what you said about “creepy fingers” I was admiring your model hands. I mean that in the least creepy way possible. Any who, I love the sound of this drink. I’ve always been a little hesitant of gin, however, I’m sure if I had it in something you recommend it would be grand!

    Reply

  2. Marianne

    Joy,
    Could you soak cucumbers in the gin overnight instead? I know when I soak them in water, it ends up very cucumber-y.

    Reply

  3. Kimberly Ong

    Made this drink last night, and it was lovely! I don’t have a juicer, nor do I have a super fine sieve, so I just pushed the hand-blended cucumber through the sieve I had, and it was still great – a little thicker that yours, but it was really nice anyways!

    Reply

  6. Katie Sims

    Did you you tell us about the cups in a previous comment? Cause I may have missed it. Anywho…Where can I get metal cups?? Or pewter…

    Reply

  7. Elana

    I’m curious how fine you liked the black pepper crushed in this cocktail? I’ve made black pepper simple syrups before (which are underrated and so delicious), but never used the pepper as a garnish like this. I’d imagine you’d want to crack pretty finely so that you’d not get a hunk of pepper and spray gin out your nose (wasting booze = not ok).

    Reply

  8. Meg

    oooooh my.

    these remind of the million pitchers of cucumber water I poured as a waitress in Iowa. but like, with sugar and booze and way less awkward small talk

    Reply

  14. Nicole

    There is a bar down the street that has a cocktail similar to this: gin, lime juice, cucumber and thyme. It is so delicious and refreshing!

    Reply

  16. Stefanie Mysel

    Joy this looks lovely! We can get really crisp cucumbers at our local farmers market. Now if you ever come to Dana Point, my husband makes a dessert drink called a Bushwacker.

    Made these in St. Thomas and served one to Samuel L Jackson, it got him pretty sloshed but apparently no hangover!

    Reply

  17. Kat

    I was reading this…and saw the pic with your hand and my first thought was “How did she did she do that AND take the pic at the same time?” Then I read your hand comment, and thought “Hm..I thought it looked like she just had a manicure.” So definitely no creepy hands :)

    p.s. I <3 those little metal cups!

    Reply

  29. Ali

    These pictures look so great! You should do another cocktail with a mad scientist theme. Maybe something super red for fall, like cranberry? Start practicing maniacal laughter.

    Reply

  30. Redhead in the Kitchen

    This is probably delicious. But it’s the kind of deliciousness I only trust coming from someone else’s (uncreepy) hands. Like if you made this and served it to me or I ordered it at a restaurant, it would be so chic and amazing. But if I make this, it will probably be terrifying. But I might try anyway.

    Reply

  32. Kelsey

    I don’t think your fingers are creepy. I’ve seen some creepy blogger fingers in my day, and your fingers, dear Joy, light of my life, twinkle in my eye, are not creepy.

    PS thanks for the neato recipe.

    Reply

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Scroll Up