CUCUMBER COOLER COCKTAIL - FROM GARDEN TO TABLE

Summer is almost over, but I wanted to cherish a bit of Summer in my glass. Just like every other Midwesterner, I had my bounty from my kitchen garden. Among the vegetables I do every year, salad cucumber and mint always find a pride of place. This year, my husband decided to re-create an iconic cocktail at home - Bobby Flay's Cucumber Cooler Cocktail.

With the pandemic, dining to on our patio became a celebration. So in addition to trying out new recipes for grilling, we tried our hand at mixology. from iconic favorites like Old fashioned and White Russian, we tried out Cucumber Cooler. Both of us have had cucumber cocktails in the past which we had ordered at restaurants. It made sense to try and recreate a taste and flavor which we were familiar with.

Cucumber cocktails can be made with both vodka and gin, depending on preferences. Also, Bobby uses cucumber vodka, but we used regular vodka. We decided to opt for vodka as that's what we had on hand. We used mojito mint in ours, but a few different varieties of mint can be used, as long its not spearmint or chocolate mint. So if you are looking for a refreshing cocktail, go ahead and give it a try. And maybe preserve a few Summer memories in your heart as the cooler days swing in.