Here’s a small trick that makes a simple drink look like you tried. Run a cucumber down the Slicer, lengthwise, into one long ribbon. Press it around the inside of the glass, add ice to hold it, and pour. That’s the whole move.
We make these all summer and again over the holidays, when mixing a pitcher beats standing at the counter making drinks one at a time. There’s a zero proof version too.
Makes 1 drink
Time 5 minutes
Tool Slicer
Ingredients
The spritz
- 1½ oz (45 ml) gin
- ½ oz (15 ml) elderflower liqueur
- ½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 oz (60 ml) prosecco or other dry sparkling wine, chilled
- 1 oz (30 ml) soda water, chilled
- Ice
The garnish
- 1 English cucumber, which gives you ribbons for about 8 glasses
Zero proof version
- 1 oz (30 ml) elderflower cordial
- ½ oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- 4 oz (120 ml) soda water, chilled
- Ice and a cucumber ribbon
Method
- Ribbon. Trim the end off the cucumber. Hold the Slicer flat, close to the surface, and pull it down the full length for one long, wide ribbon. The first pass is mostly skin, so set it aside and use the ones after it.
- Line the glass. Press the ribbon around the inside of a tall glass in a loose spiral, then fill the glass with ice to hold it in place.
- Mix. Pour in the gin, elderflower liqueur and lime juice and give it a quick stir.
- Top. Top with the prosecco and soda, stir once, gently, and serve.
Making a round
Mix the gin, elderflower and lime in a pitcher up to 2 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge. Line the glasses with ribbons, pour 2½ oz (75 ml) of the mix over the ice in each one and top them with the bubbles at the table.
Swap it
Tonic water works in place of the prosecco and soda for a drier drink. Use 3 oz (90 ml).
