there may be a hurricane brewing over texas, but here in socal, we are headed into a heat wave. costa mesa is heading into our hottest time of the year and with no air conditioning and cake orders that require the OVEN, i'm looking for anything cooling these days. 

my friyay cocktail is no exception. cucumber makes this floral gin + st. germain combination very soothing for a sweltering summer day. bonus points if you serve it in a chilled glass. 

lemon + cucumber gin fizzle
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 5 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 oz fresh lemon juice. 10 thin slices of cucumber. .5 oz st. germain. 3-5 oz club soda. edible flowers for garnish (i used borage). shaker. muddler. strainer. 2 cups ice. 

in the bottom of your shaker, combine 8 of the cucumber slices, lemon juice and st. germain. 

muddle together until the cucumber is completely crushed. about 2 minutes. 

pour in half the ice and the gin and shake well till combined. about 30 seconds. 

fill your serving glass with the rest of the ice and the remaining cucumber slices. strain your cocktail over the ice. 

top off the drink with club soda to taste. 

garnish with edible flowers. 

enjoy! 

xo, a

lemon + cucumber gin fizzle
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 2 minutes
active time: 3 minutes
total time: 5 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz gin. 1 oz fresh lemon juice. 10 thin slices of cucumber. .5 oz st. germain. 3-5 oz club soda. edible flowers for garnish (i used borage). shaker. muddler. strainer. 2 cups ice.
in the bottom of your shaker, combine 8 of the cucumber slices, lemon juice and st. germain.
muddle together until the cucumber is completely crushed. about 2 minutes.
pour in half the ice and the gin and shake well till combined. about 30 seconds.
fill your serving glass with the rest of the ice and the remaining cucumber slices. strain your cocktail over the ice.
top off the drink with club soda to taste.
garnish with edible flowers.
enjoy!

now i know that I have already touched briefly on the amazingness of the micro plane. sure it is great for lemon zest, but it has some other really great (and important) uses. if you don't yet have one of these handy guys you can purchase one HERE. 

i know what you are thinking... why on earth do i need this wand of grating magic when i already have a grater?

here is why. the ridges of the micro plane are a bit sharper and more defined making it optimal for not only harder cheeses, but also for citrus, garlic, ginger and cucumbers. and that's just what i have come up with so far. 

when i'm looking for just a bit of cucumber juice for a cocktail or for some shredded cucumber for some dip or baking, the micro plane is the tool for the job. 

we know it's a perfection for zesting citrus. that citrus zest can be used in pretty much anything. from meat marinades, to salad dressing, to cakes. you are only limited by your imagination. 

the micro plane is ideal for fine grating hard cheeses. if you want that beautiful, snow looking parmesan or pecorino, you NEED the micro plane. 

i love finely grated ginger and ginger juice is AMAZING for you but oh so hard to chop up. using your micro plane creates that fine ginger great for marinades, sauces and juices that you can't achieve any other way. the micro plane separates the good root from the fibrous bits. 

the micro plane works just as well when you want really fine garlic.

and i know what you are thinking. they must have paid her to say this! nope. i just can't live with out my micro plane and you NEED this kitchen game-changer. 

xo, a