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Cicada Cocktail From Yvonne’s Boston

Yvonne's Boston Cicada summer drinks

A crisp and complex take on the Mojito.

This take on a Mojito incorporates spicy and savory elements for a drink that’s crisp and complex. “I wanted to create a refreshing cocktail using the savory spice of wasabi, without it being overwhelming,” says Sam Lee, principal bartender at Yvonne’s in Boston. Lee accomplishes this by crafting a syrup with fresh cucumber juice, wasabi, and a good pinch of salt. “I named this drink the Cicada for its poignant, bright green color, and because the familiar buzzing of cicadas marks the start of summer.”

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 oz. white rum (Yvonne’s uses Plantation 3-star)
  • 1 oz. salted cucumber-wasabi syrup
  • 1 oz. fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 oz. Italicus Rosolio Bergamot liqueur
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • chilled soda water, to top
  • Tools:shaker, strainer
  • Glass:Collins
  • Garnish:sprig of Thai basil

Preparation

Add all of the ingredients except the soda to a shaker, then shake well with ice. Strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice, then top
with soda water, and garnish.

Salted Cucumber-Wasabi SyrupIn a blender, add 20 grams of wasabi (Yvonne’s uses Kinjirushi Nama Oroshi grated wasabi), 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of fresh cucumber juice, and 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt. Blend until the sugar is dissolved and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

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