Don’t Be Naive: A Cucumber Gin Cocktail

Recipe: Thi Nguyen , Moon Rabbit , Washington, DC

Photo: Rachel Paraoan/Chonky Cat Media

April 17, 2024

An Asian cucumber salad transformed into a cocktail.

Thi Nguyen, bar director of Moon Rabbit in Washington, D.C., adapted the elements of an Asian cucumber salad to create this refreshing cucumber gin cocktail. He infuses dry gin with cucumber, sweetens it with ginger syrup, and for an aromatic finish, he drops sesame oil on its surface.

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. cucumber-infused dry gin
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
3/4 oz. ginger syrup

Tools:blender, shaker, strainer, fine-mesh strainer
Glass:coupe
Garnish:sesame oil

Preparation

Add all of the ingredients to the shaker with ice. Shake to chill and double strain it into the glass. Add 4 drops of sesame oil on top of the drink.

Cucumber-Infused Dry GinAdd 2 chopped English cucumbers and 750ml of dry gin to a blender and blend for approximately 2 minutes or until the mixture is well combined. Afterward strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bottle to remove any solid pieces. Will keep in the refrigerator for 3 months.