Saturday Food Blogging: cucumber gimlet

Happy birthday to me! With all of the planning that went into last week's 50th birthday party for my mom, I didn't really get around to deciding what to do for my birthday today. So far, I plan on hiking up Kamiak Butte, eating thai food for dinner and going out drinking at my favorite bar. Tomorrow we'll head up Hell's Canyon to find a beach for swimming, a picnic, and cocktails. Given the chance, I'll stretch my birthday out to be as many days as my friends and family will allow.

I am a huuuge fan of gin, and my favorite way to partake of it is the gimlet, which is simply gin and lime juice. I've been itching to try a recipe from July's issue of Bon Apetit for a cucumber gimlet, and I think that tomorrow's picnic will be the perfect occasion. I'll report back with my impression, but here's the recipe.

2 large cucumbers
1/2 cup gin
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup ice cubes
4 lime slices

Slice four 1/4-inch-thick slices from 1 cucumber. Peel and coarsely chop remaining cucumbers; transfer to processor and puree until smooth. Pour through fine strainer set over large bowl, pressing on solids in strainer. Discard solids in strainer.

Mix 1 cup cucumber juice, gin lime juice and sugar in pitcher; stir until sugar dissolves. Add ice; mix well. Immediately strain mixture into 4 small martini glasses. Garnish with lime and cucumber slices and serve.