Yesterday I told you about dessert.  Doctoral Desserts to be exact.  That was yummy.

Do you know what else was yummy?  Doctoral Drinks!  Who needs a special celebratory drink more than someone getting their PhD?  Not many.  Other than perhaps their partner (just saying…).  My Ladyfriend chose the special drink for the evening and did it ever scream summer!  Summer! Summer!  Refreshing. Cold. Cucumber-y. Minty. Definitely one for the summer repertoire.  Only, I don’t really recommend martini glasses if you or your friends are like my friends and I.  Martini glasses lead to a lot of spillage and you won’t want to spill this drink.

The PhD celebration glass

Cucumber Mint Gimlet

• 4-½ cups of cucumber gin (2 oz.*)- recipe follows
• 2-¼ cups fresh lime juice (1 oz.*)
• 1 cup + 2 TBSP mint simple syrup (½ oz.*)- recipe follows
• mint leaves and/or cucumber slices for garnish

Cucumber gin:

Steep 2 1/2 cups diced, peeled cucumber in 4 1/2 cups gin, covered and chilled, 8 hours to 4 days (or 1/2 cup cucumber in 1 cup gin*). Strain; store indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Making the cucumber gin

Mint Simple Syrup:

Heat 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water over medium-high heat, stirring until dissolved. Add 1 cup mint leaves; remove from heat. Cover; steep 30 minutes to 1 hour. Strain; discard mint. Refrigerate up to 2 months.

Directions:

In a 2-quart pitcher, stir cucumber gin, lime juice, and mint syrup. Refrigerate. To serve, pour into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, and either divide among ice-filled 10-ounce glasses or pour into a martini glass (without ice). Garnish each with cucumber peel and mint.

*= the amount for a single drink

(The recipe was from martha stewart -here)

Through the gin bottle...