A few years back, I traveled to the French Alps to visit a dear friend. It was the first time I visited the French Mountains, and the first time I was spending any real time with her man. A few days in, post dinner, he took out a bottle of Chartreuse, a common after dinner drink in France. "Enjoy it straight, on ice," he said. I tried, I really did, but with its intense green colour, earthy tones and potent flavour, I knew I wasn't going to be able to drink it straight (sorry Matt). I returned home from that trip with my own bottle of Chartreuse, determined to develop a pallete for it. Three years later, I'm still working my way through the bottle, tucking it into cocktails whenever I can, and if I'm feeling bold, sipping on a small glass post dinner.
When I decided to join in on #drinkthesummer, I immediately knew my drink had to have chartreuse as the base. From there, I added some puréed summer cucumbers (they're looking so fine at the market right now), and some gin (because cucumber + gin, always). Then a little lime and simple syrup to round off the flavours.
Be sure to check out all the fabulous blogs taking part in this year's #drinkthesummer, and mega shout-out to Sherrie for organizing such a fun party!
BOOZY //
A Little Saffron | Beach Bum’s Rum
A Thought For Food | Tarragon Tequlia Swizzle
Downshiftology | Limoncello Prosecco with Blueberries and Thyme
Heart of a Baker | Green Tea Mint Cooler
Hungry Girl por Vida | Whisky Peach Alexander
The Green Life | Spiced Plum Fig + Kombucha Cocktail
Hummingbird High | Watermelon + Mint Agua Fresca
Floating Kitchen | Peach Sun Tea + Bourbon Cocktail
Beard and Bonnet | Easy Melon Mojitos
EGD | Backyard Peach Sweet Tea
Appeasing a Food Geek | Basil + Black Pepper Gin Sour
Vegetarian Ventures | Garden Tonic Punch
Nosh and Nourish | Mango Margaritas with Chile Lime Salted Rims
Domesticate ME! | Watermelon-Basil Mezcal Margarita
The Foodie Nurse | Husk Cherry Margarita
my name is yeh | Choose Your Own Adventure Bloody Marys
Sevengrams | Cucumber Gin + Chartreuse Cocktail
Wicked Spatula | Coconut Gin + Tonic
Eat Boutique | Sbagliatos + Homemade Sweet Vermouth
Nutritionist in the Kitch | Healthy Muddled Blackberry Piña Coladas
Chocolate + Marrow | Pequito Verdecito
The Solstice Table | Jalapeno Watermelon Cooler
HonestlyYUM | Watermelon Fresh Herbs + Sotol Cocktail
Seasonal Cravings | Strawberry Lime Gin Rickey
Salted Plains | Frozen Honeydew Daiquiris
The Broken Bread | Honeydew-Ginger Apricot Mojitos
Fix Feast Flair | Ginger-Berry Splash Cocktail
Turntable Kitchen | Summer Cooler Cocktails, Two Ways
Foolproof Living | Blueberry Dark Cherry + Calvados Cocktail
Dessert for Two | Salty Melon Slush
The Wood and Spoon | Honey Basil Margaritas
Milly’s Kitchen | Golden Watermelon Ginger Basil + Tequilla
NOT BOOZY //
Heartbeet Kitchen | Salty Watermelon Shrub Elixir
TENDING the TABLE | Raspberry + Fig Hibiscus Cooler
Snixy Kitchen | Lavender Earl Gray Blackberry Ice Cream Floats
The Bojon Gourmet | Vanilla Rooibos Peach Ice Cream Floats
Gratitude and Greens | Hong Kong Style Crushed Watermelon Ice
My Heart Beets | Spiced Pistachio Shake
rooting the sun | Strawberry Fennel Soda
The Modern Proper | Vanilla Plum Shrub
Feed Me Phoebe | Watermelon-Cucumber Kombucha Coolers
Gourmande in the Kitchen | Stone Fruit Thyme Shrub Soda
dolly and oatmeal | Cold-Brewed Shiso + Hibiscus Tea Iced Latte
happy hearted kitchen | Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Fennel Orange + Cardamom
I am a Food Blog | Cherry Vanilla Sodas
Tasty Yummies | Fig Vanilla Bean Almond Milk
Let’s talk evergreen | Iced Earl Grey Yuanyang With a Hint of Rose
Kale & Caramel | Emerald Beaut Green Spritzer
Earthy Feast | Watermelon Hibiscus Agua Fresca
Now, Forager | Sparkling Plumcot + Purple Basil Shrubs
The Pig & Quill | Brown Sugar Blueberry Pie Shakes
Well and Full | Peach Bubble Tea
Sweetish Co | The Best Frozen Hot Chocolate
holly & flora | Spiced Pineapple Shrub Sparklers with Black Tea + Coconut
Pure Ella | Fresh Mint Tea
CUCUMBER, GIN AND CHARTREUSE COCKTAIL // serves 2
I urge you to go buy yourself a bottle of Chartreuse, and start experimenting with it. Note that there are 3 different varieties, green being the most common. An added note about the simple syrup. I'd recommend cooking up a full batch and storing it in the fridge in a glass jar -- you never know when you're going to want to spontaneously whip up a fancy cocktail!
Ingredients:
1 oz Chartreuse
2 oz gin
1 oz simple syrup
juice from 1 lime
2-3 oz cucumber juice (see below)
cucumber slices, for serving
cucumber juice //
2 small summer cucumbers, or half a large cucumber
What to do:
To make the cucumber juice -- peel and roughly chop your cucumber, then add it to a blender (preferably high speed). Blend until smooth. Be sure there is enough cucumber in the blender to get it whizzing. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the froth settle, then strain through a fine mesh sieve.
For the cocktail, combine all the ingredients in a shaker. Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously. Serve immediately with a few extra slices of cucumber.