Prickly Cucumber Spritz Recipe

Make prickly pear purée (if not using ready-made)

Carefully handle prickly pears with gloves or tongs. Trim both ends, slice lengthwise and scoop the flesh. Place flesh in a blender and purée until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp, pressing to extract about 1 cup of purée. Chill until ready to use.

Combine 1 cup prickly pear purée and 1 cup fresh blood orange juice in a medium bowl or pitcher.

Whisk in 1/2 cup fresh lime juice and 1/2 cup agave nectar until fully blended. Taste and adjust sweetness: add up to 2 tablespoons more agave if you prefer sweeter.

Chill the mixed syrup/juice base in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let flavors marry. This mixture is a concentrated base for the spritz.

Wash the cucumber. Reserve 12 thin slices for serving by cutting crosswise slices about 2–3 mm thick.

Take the remaining cucumber, cut into large chunks, and muddle gently in a bowl or mixing glass with a fork or muddler until fragrant and slightly broken down (about 6–8 medium presses). This releases cucumber juice without pulverizing it.

Strain the muddled cucumber through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into the chilled syrup/juice base, pressing gently to extract approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh cucumber juice. Discard solids.

If you want a clearer spritz, skip muddling and instead add the reserved cucumber slices directly to the pitcher for infusion and visual appeal.

Add 8 cups of ice to a 2-quart pitcher.

Pour the chilled prickly pear–blood orange–lime–agave–cucumber base over the ice.

Gently stir to cool the base for 10–15 seconds.

Slowly top the pitcher with 1.5 liters chilled soda water. Stir once gently to combine, preserving carbonation.

Taste and adjust: for a brighter, tarter spritz add up to 1–2 tablespoons extra lime juice; for sweeter add a splash more agave and stir to dissolve.

To serve, fill highball glasses with ice and add 1–2 reserved cucumber slices per glass.

Pour the spritz from the pitcher into each glass, leaving a little headspace for garnish.

Garnish each glass with a lime wheel and a cucumber slice on the rim; tuck a mint sprig into each glass if using.

Serve immediately with a stirrer or straw. The spritz is best enjoyed cold and fizzy.