When I throw a party, I like to greet my guests with a fabulous drink like this—it makes them feel welcome. My friends love this cocktail because it’s fresh and light, which means it’s perfect for a party on the beach or a gathering in the garden.–Lee Brian Schrager

LC Not So Fuzzy Math Note

We’re word people, not numbers people. But even we found it easy peasy to mess around with the math of this recipe, which typically makes a pitcher full of libations, for when the occasion demands but a single, solitary cocktail. We also found it easy peasy to mess around with how heavy-handed to get with the cucumber and the gin. It’s a genteel, gentle-flavored sipper that’s starts out innocuously enough but with every sip becomes a little less innocent and a lot more potent, in terms of both flavor and force.

A glass of lemon cucumber cocktail with a sprig of mint, a lemon wheel, and a slice of cucumber.

Lemon Cucumber Cocktail

4.84 / 6 votes
This cocktail is fresh and light, which means it’s perfect for a party on the beach or a gathering in the garden
David Leite
CourseDrinks
CuisineAmerican
Servings12 servings
Calories48 kcal
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • Three (10-ounce) bottles club soda
  • 1 cup gin
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 12 thin slices lemon, (from 1 lemon)
  • 12 thin slices cucumber, (from 1 small cucumber)
  • 12 cups crushed ice
  • 12 sprigs mint, for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • In a large pitcher, combine the club soda, gin, and lemon juice.
  • Place a slice of lemon and cucumber in each of 12 glasses. Add about a cup of crushed ice to each glass. Pour the gin mixture into the glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig, if desired.
Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook

Adapted From

South Beach Wine & Food Festival Cookbook

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 cocktailCalories: 48 kcalCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 1 gFat: 1 gSaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 12 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2010 Lee Schrager. Photo © 2010 Quentin Bacon. All rights reserved.

Recipe Testers’ Reviews

This cocktail is light, refreshing, and easy to prepare for a crowd. The essence of this drink rests on your choice of gin, so use your favorite. Whether your favorite is floral or herbal, it will shine against the simplicity of the lemon and cucumber. The locally distilled brand I used matched beautifully with the cucumber. Wonderful!

Even if you aren’t a big fan of gin recipes (I am not), the lemon juice offsets the gin nicely and makes for a nice drink. I usually taste the recipe after each stage, if possible, and the cucumber and lemon slice make a difference to the end result. The mint is also a necessary ingredient. If I did anything different, I would not use crushed ice. The ice melted quickly (I live in Hawaii) and the end of the drink was a bit watered down. The other option is to drink it quickly so the ice doesn’t have a chance to melt! 🙂

Everyone loved it. One thing the recipe doesn’t touch on is that this is for short glasses instead of tall ones. We used tall ones and it made six glasses. The first few sips were good, but mostly tasted like your typical gin & tonic, then you started tasting the cucumber. A few more sips, and we felt the citrus and mint. Refreshing, tasty, and so very easy to drink a few of them!

This is a light, refreshing cocktail that would make a great aperitif. Personally, I prefer a bigger hit of cucumber and would recommend a few small wedges in the drink to really impart the delicate flavor that pairs so well with gin. If you’re not a fan of the classic G & T, this is a great and — some might say — more interesting equivalent.

This was a delicious and refreshing cocktail for a warm holiday weekend. I definitely used FRESH lemon juice. Three small to medium lemons made about 1/4 cup, as suggested in the recipe, maybe a little more. I muddled 10 leaves of mint with the lemon juice before adding the juice to the gin and club soda for a more complex flavor. I found it a little tangy, so the second time I made it, I added 1 tablespoon of light agave nectar and a dash of orange bitters. Even my husband, who balks at “fancy” cocktails, loved it! Makes a nice amount for a gathering.




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    SO GOOD! Very light and refreshing. I tripled the recipe to bring to a party, and I did also add 1 can of sprite to the whole thing. Is a little bitter and the little bit of sprite made it the perfect amount of just a little sweet. Will definitely be making again.