It wasn’t easy, but we’ve done it. And it only took a bar tab as high as a Barney’s shopping spree to figure it out. Now presenting our drink of the summer: cucumber saki.
Light, calorie-sensitive and refreshing: this combo makes total sense. Cucumbers have long made our salads crisp and our eyes un-puffy. And a night of sushi with the boys demands some tangy sake. It’s like going to a bar, a restaurant and a spa at the same time!
And it’s super easy to make.
Get a thick, firm cucumber from your fridge, and cut off a slice. Mash the cucumber into your shaker, toss in some raw sugar, splash a little water, then add enough ice to fill the shaker half way. Smaller is better… for the size of your cubes, at least.
Mix equal parts of vodka and sake into your shaker. Then, shake, shake, shake. You’ll want your concoction cold. Really cold. Like, saying-hello-to-an-ex-boyfriend-at-the-club kind of cold.
You can keep the drink potent by straining the booze into a martini, or you can pour the iced drink as-is for a chillaxed experience.
Choose your booze. A potato-based vodka like Montopolova marries well with the Japanese rice liquor, or if you want a Cuban kick to your cocktail, swap out the vodka for some high-distilled rum.
And, boys: drink fashionably but responsibly. No one wants to be that guy who ruins a friend’s newly stained patio.
For one drink of deliciousness, you’ll need:
1 ½ inch slice of cucumber (peeled optional)
1 tablespoon of raw sugar
2 tablespoons of distilled water
1 ½ shots of vodka or rum
1 ½ shots of sake
Ice, shaker, serving glass
Garnish with a raw sugar rim, a cucumber slice wheel, and/or a cucumber peel twist for an oh-so-pretty finish.
