Cucurbit from The Austin Cookbook

Inspired by Mexican lollipops, this cocktail from Contigo in Austin brings together the bittersweet flavor of Aperol with cooling cucumber and spicy chile-salt.

1½ oz. gin
¾ oz. Aperol
½ oz. fresh lime juice
¼ oz. simple syrup (1:1)
1 lime wedge
6 slices cucumber
Chile salt, such as Tajín
Tools: muddler, shaker, strainer
Glass: rocks
Garnish: cucumber slices dipped in chile salt

Pour some chile salt into a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a rocks glass with the lime wedge, then dip it into the dish to coat the rim and fill the glass with ice. Put 3 of the cucumber slices in a shaker and muddle them. Add the gin, Aperol, lime juice, simple syrup, and a large handful of ice, and shake. Strain into the rimmed glass. Garnish.

Reprinted with permission from The Austin Cookbook by Paula Forbes; published by Abrams Books c 2018.

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