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No.. mom, no. Calm down. Seriously, no!
I’m not pregnant.
But I have a ton of friends who are (like the painfully adorable A Teaspoon of Happiness), and even O and I are trying to cut down on our booze consumption right now. We know that alcohol isn’t exactly healthy, especially if it’s something more refined, like liquor. And with this satisfyingly flavorful, elegant, yet cool mocktail, you won’t miss it at all! I’ve been making this little drink for years, starting back when I didn’t drink at all, and it’s been a favorite of mine and of our friends who drop by without much announcement–I used to always have a bottle of this cucumber-ginger syrup in the fridge!
Cucumber and ginger are paired perfectly together–the cool, refreshing flavor of the cucumber warms up nicely to the spiced, aromatic ginger. Neither overtakes the other; they share the stage graciously. A splash of bubbly water lightens up the heady syrup and contributes a welcome bit of fizz.
Even better, this mocktail takes hardly any effort, and one batch will last you a week or two, easily, in the fridge. Equally perfect in an elegant wine glass with or after dinner as at a cocktail party with friends, your expectations will be decimated with this mixology-inspired take on the oft-overlooked mocktail. Visions of overly-sweetened daquiri mix (just missing the rum) are a distant memory!
If you are preggers, the ginger is perfect for any tummy woes the little guy or gal might be causing you. I wish I’d had one of these on hand for my poor matron of honor, who spent our entire wedding smiling… but dying on the inside from first-trimester nausea! What a freaking trooper.
Make this! Serve it in a fancy glass. Invite me–and all your preggers and straight-edge friends (you know you have like twenty) over!
This post is part of RedEnvelope’s #redBar project!
Cucumber Ginger Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber , sliced
- 10 slices of fresh ginger , about 1/4" thick
- 2 cups sugar (or about 1 3/4 cups agave nectar)
- 2 cups still water
- 1 soda soda water for serving (about 5 ounces per drink)
- 1-2 cucumber slices , for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place sliced cucumber and ginger in a large, heat-proof bowl. Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over cucumber and ginger and let stand for 2 hours.
- Strain into a bottle and chill.
- To prepare a cocktail, stir together about 1 shot syrup (1.5 ounces) with about 3 shots water (4.5 ounces), or to taste. Garnish with a cucumber slice.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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How many drinks can be made from the syrup recipe above?
Good article. I absolutely appreciate this site.
Keep writing!
Hey there,
I’m hoping to make this for some of my friends who are underage or non-drinkers at my 18th at the end of the month – but not sure if it will be too mature for my friends or not…
Would you be able to recommend ratios for a smaller version of the drink so that I would be able to make some and try it prior?
Recipe sounds delicious though – I absolutely love ginger and can’t wait to try it myself!
Hi Daisy! I would personally quarter everything, so 1/4 cucumber, about 2-3 slices ginger, etc. Happy birthday!!
I’m making this for a Girls Night Out baby shower. I haven’t worked with ginger before. How many chunks do I need in order to make x4 batch? Thanks!
Hrm, it will depend on the length of the chunks you find. I’d say go for more at the store and use about 10 inches of ginger total. I’d always go with MORE ginger than less, especially in relation to the cucumber! Let me know how you like it! 🙂
Hi! I love the look of this! I will definitely be trying it soon. I was wondering, should the ginger slices be about as wide as the ones you have in the photos? I saw required thickness, but wasn’t sure about the overall size of the root you used! Also just to confirm, cucumber is skin on, right? Many thanks!
Those are actually probably a bit thick for the recipe. I’d recommend a little thinner than that. About a 2.5″ knob. Honestly it will be great no matter what! You just want plenty of surface area to infuse the liquid.
I love this recipe, thank you!
Where can i buy these glasses? They’re looking so nice! Do you know the brand? Would be great 🙂
Thanks, Laila
Aren’t they gorgeous?! We received them as a wedding gift from Crate & Barrel. You can find them here: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/rosa-sparkling-wine-glass/s205117
Too funny, that’s down the street from us now! I went to St. Agnes. What year? Such a small world!
Yep! And I knew a few folks who went to St. Agnes, too. Graduated in 2003, and I feel super old when thinking that was 11 years ago. What about you?
2005! I know, it seems like forever ago. Yesterday I met a girl who’d just graduated and when she asked me what year, I actually had to think about it. Yeah… I’m old.
It really does, right?! It’s always cute when they ask… and then you feel SO old. I worked with a bunch of actual high schoolers a few months ago on a pilot, and talking to them, while fun, made me realize just how much I’d grown up in the last 11+ years, as well as how much my college experience shaped me into the person I am today. It’s really crazy to think about. And then you feel old.
I know exactly how you feel!
High fives for mocktails that are gorgeous, slightly sweet and involve two of my favorites: ginger and cucumber! Never had one of these before, but you’d better believe I’ll be trying one soon! Thanks for sharing. Gorgeous site AND photography!
Thanks!! And please do try it – it really is so tasty. By the way, I just read your marathon story.. amazing! My husband is a marathoner and I really have no idea how you guys can do it. The very fact that you said something like “I did great for 14 miles and then..”, uhh.. mind blown. I ran five miles maybe ONCE and thought I deserved to be called Mrs. Badass the entire day, from everyone I came across. Ha!
I have a feeling I’ll be making these for the weekend’s festivities, and I’ll let ya know what we think!
Thank you! Us marathoners are a bit crazy… in the best possible way… and there’s something so satisfying about pushing yourself to the limit and seeing what you can do, no matter the distance. And I think you deserve to be called Mrs. Badass when you do something like running five miles and never having done that before… that’s absolutely deserving the title!
ALSO, just realize you live in Memphis. That’s my hometown! Small world.
That’s so nuts! I saw your sister lives here in the post.. Where did you go to high school? The requisite question
Yep! It is nuts, and my family’s all still there. I went to White Station. What about you?
Aren’t these glasses the best? We got them for our wedding and I’m absolutely obsessed with them. Gin would be awesome in this!! I thought about including a note about adding booze, but well, yanno. Vodka, too, would be totally delicious. I might even try that tonight, just saying! You know, to properly test a recipe and whatnot.. 🙂
I love this recipe, and your beautiful retro looking cocktail glasses! I’m totally making this the next time we have people over for dinner. The cucumber and ginger flavors are perfect for summer. Also, I’m already brainstorming other ways to use the infused syrup, because it sounds so fantastic.
Do you think this would be any good with gin for those who can drink?