Cucumber-Lime Martini

cucumber_martini_outside

Over the weekend, winter took a break and the nice California weather kicked in.  It just so happened that that same weekend both my parents and in laws were coming over for a little bbq.   I had seen this recipe on a cooking show and was waiting for the right excuse to try it.  This was it! A cucumber-lime martini.

How to prep the cucumber-lime martini

While the meat was grilling, I whipped out my blender and threw together this yummy cocktail.  It was pretty easy to do.  The hardest part was straining the pulp from the juice, but if you have a juicer, then that part will be done for you…you just need to deal with cleaning the juicer then.Cucumber Martini Front

This cucumber martini was the perfect way to start a bbq.  Very refreshing.  The only thing is that there was a little bitter aftertaste.  I think it was from the cucumber peel.  Maybe I didn’t peel it well enough.  But other than that, it was amazing!

cucumber martini top

Lessons Learned:

  • Make sure all of the bitter peel is off the cucumber or try using cucumbers without bitter peel like English or Persian.
  • Make sure there is no liquid or ice  in your glass when you dip the rim into the chili-lime powder when you go back for seconds.  You get a big glob of chili-powder that doesn’t stick to your rim.

Cucumber-Lime Martini
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ lime, cut into wedges for garnish
  • 3 Tbsp chili-lime powder (I used Tajin, but you can use pico de gallo or maybe lucas)
  • 2 cucumbers, peeled & deseeded
  • 4 cups of water
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • ¼ cup vodka (I think I doubled this for my second batch)
  • Ice
Instructions
  1. Combine water and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Occasionally stir mixture until sugar has dissolved (this is called a simple syrup).
  2. Put the chili-lime powder on a small plate. Prepare your glasses by rubbing the rim of the glass with a lime wedge. Dip the rim of the glass in the chili-lime powder. Add ice to your glass.
  3. In a blender, combine the water/sugar mixture, cucumbers, water, and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a pitcher. Extract as much juice from the pulp as possible. Add vodka and mix.
  4. Pour your mixture into prepared glasses and enjoy!

(adapted from Marcela Valladolid’s recipe found here)

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