Spicy Cucumber Lemonade with Gin

This Spicy Cucumber Lemonade with Gin is the party starter you've been craving this summer. We combined cucumbers with a sharp punch of ginger and wasabi and finished it all off with gin's traditionally floral notes. You'll never look at lemonade the same way again after a glass of this concoction!

CATEGORIES:
Beverages
cocktails

YIELDS

4 cocktails

PREP TIME

20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

What you need for the Spicy Cucumber Lemonade

1 large cucumber
1 tbsp (18 g) finely grated fresh ginger
1 ¼ cups (250 g) Redpath® Instant Dissolving Sugar
¾ cup (180 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (14 g) wasabi paste

What you need for the cocktail

1 ½ cups (360 ml) Spicy Cucumber Lemonade
¾ cup (180 ml) gin
½ cup (120 ml) sparkling water
ice
sliced cucumber, pink pickled ginger for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

How to prepare the Spicy Cucumber Lemonade

1. Cut four 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) slices from the cucumber; set aside to use as garnish.

2. Cut the remainder of the cucumber into roughly 1 inch (2.5 centimetres) pieces. Combine the cucumber pieces with the minced ginger in a blender, or the bowl of a food processor, and process on high until mixture is smooth; about 1 minute.

3. Place the cucumber mixture in a fine mesh sieve, set over a medium bowl, and press with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible (you will have about ¾ cup ((180 millimeters)) of juice).

4. Add the Redpath ® Instant Dissolving Sugar, lemon juice, and wasabi paste to the cucumber juice and whisk well to dissolve the sugar and the wasabi.

How to assemble the Spicy Cucumber Lemonade with Gin

1. In a large pitcher, combine spicy cucumber lemonade, gin and about 2 cups (260 grams) worth of ice. Stir well and strain evenly over 4 lowball glasses filled halfway with ice. Top each with sparkling water, and finish by garnishing with a speared cucumber slice and piece of pickled ginger. Serve immediately.

Spiced Cucumber Lemonade with Gin - web ready hero (1 of 2)

CHEF'S TIPS

You can find wasabi and pickled ginger in most major grocery stores, and Asian grocery stores, across the country. Wasabi has a fiery kick, which is similar to horseradish. You can feel free to add more or less depending on your desired taste.