Beat the heat with this cool, refreshing summer cocktail + mocktail variation!
For last month's Supper Club dinner, our theme was Vietnamese. We were set to host, so I knew I needed to come up with a killer, refreshing cocktail to cool everyone off.
I tried searching for Vietnamese cocktails but didn't really come up with anything that looked too tasty, so I decided instead to come up with something light and summery.
My go-to cocktail of choice in the summer is definitely a gin & tonic, and I thought that mint, lime and cucumber would work beautifully with all of the Vietnamese flavors in our meal.
When I came across this Fever-Tree Elderflower Tonic Water at the store, I knew it would be absolutely perfect in my cocktail.
A little muddling and a dash of aromatic orange bitters bring this beauty together. It was a big hit with my Supper Club, and we've enjoyed it at home a few times since. It's a nice alternative to a mojito, which is how we usually enjoy muddled mint.
If you're looking for a non-alcoholic alternative, simply omit the gin and bitters and add a bit of seltzer instead. Guaranteed refreshment!
📖 Recipe
Cucumber Gin Elderflower Smash
Instructions
- Fill 4 glasses with ice cubes.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle together cucumber, lime and mint. Add gin and shake well to combine.
- Divide muddled mixture between ice-filled glasses. Top each with 2 ounces of elderflower tonic, 2 dashes of orange bitters and stir to combine.
- For nonalcoholic variation, omit gin and bitters and add 1 ounce of seltzer to each glass instead. Enjoy!
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
I don't know much about cocktails, so I'm always on the look-out for ones that look tempting. Like you, I'm a big fan of gin and tonic, so this is right up my alley. Pinning so I'll remember to try it soon.
Pam Armstrong Greer says
I love it!! I would love it if you would link it up to Tipsy Tuesday at Grey is the New Black!
BigFlavorsFromATinyKitchen says
Thanks, Pam! I added it to your latest Tipsy Tuesday post aaaaand now I wannt a cocktail 😉
Karen says
I've got to find that tonic! This sounds so refreshing!
Steve L says
Tonight, I will mix gin and St. Germain with my tonic to approximate this mixture. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ashley says
I hope you enjoy it! I started adding St. Germain to my G&Ts and fell in love with the flavor combo. Cheers, Steve!!