Remedy for: Soothes Stomach. Refreshes the Body when it’s Overheated.
Mixologist: James Ives of Bellocq
Wicklow Wedding Cobbler
3 Slices fresh Ginger (peeled)
5 Mint leaves
1 Lemon wheel
1 measure vodka
0.5 measure Green Chartreuse
1.5 measure Cucumber agua fresca (see below)
fresh mint and slices of cucumber to garnish
First step is to make the cucumber agua fresca below. Then peel a cucumber with a vegetable peeler to create long, thin ribbons like the ones pictured above (right corner). Once you have those two components, then you may proceed. In one glass, place a few cucumber ribbons and cracked ice to sit while you prepare your cocktail. In a mixing tin or glass, muddle mint, ginger, lemon and cucumber ribbons. Add ice to the mixing glass, and pour vodka, chartreuse, and cucumber agua fresca over the ice. Cap and shake vigorously for five seconds. Fine strain into the glass packed with cracked ice and cucumber ribbons. Top with fresh mint sprigs. Serve with straws.
Cucumber Agua Fresca
4 cups cucumber juice
3 cups Water
1 cup Turbinado Sugar
1 cup Lime juice
fat pinch Salt
Bring water to a gentle simmer. Stir in Sugar until diluted. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature, then mix with cucumber juice, lime, and salt. Seal and refrigerate. The original recipe calls for 2 cups Sugar, but we halved the amount to soften the sweetness; in fact, when we make this for ourselves, sometimes we reduce the sugar down to 1/2 cup. Some people might shake their head at that, but we love the taste of cucumber without all the added sugar. In fact, next time I juice some cucumbers I plan to experiment with this recipe and just use straight cuke juice instead of the agua fresca.
This cocktail combines three of our favorite healthy ingredients: cucumbers, ginger and Chartreuse (a liqueur made with 132 botanicals). Those of us who live in warmer, humid climates (like, say, a city built in the middle of muggy swampland) have only one thing to say — cheers to James Ives of Bellocq for creating this rejuvenating cocktail!
Drink to good health!