Lifestyle
Cucumber, fennel, lime and gin cocktail
The addition of fresh fennel gives this cocktail a subtle liquorice note, while cucumber adds a crisp flavour that balances the gin.
There’s a reason cucumber turns up in so many summer drinks. It’s made up of around 95% water, which makes it one of the most refreshing ingredients you can put in a glass. Long before cucumber became fashionable in cocktails, it was added to jugs of water, punches and cooling drinks throughout Europe and the Middle East as a way to beat the heat. This cocktail combines cucumber with fennel, an addition that may sound unusual but brings a delicate aniseed flavour. For garnish, use fennel fronds, cucumber ribbons or a thin wheel of lime. If you prefer something sweeter, swap the soda water for ginger ale.
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 15 ml fresh lime juice
- 30 ml unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 4 ice cubes
- 2.5 cm fresh fennel bulb
- 330 ml soda water or ginger ale
- 90 ml gin
- Fresh fennel fronds, for garnish
Method
- Peel the cucumber and cut into chunks.
- Place the cucumber, lime juice, vinegar, ice and fennel into a blender.
- Add the gin.
- Blend until smooth and frothy.
- Divide between two glasses.
- Top with soda water or ginger ale.
- Garnish with fennel fronds.
