Cucumber Refresher Recipe

Prep cucumber

Peel the cucumber if the skin is waxy or bitter; otherwise leave it on for color. Roughly chop the cucumber into 1-inch pieces so it blends easily.

Blend

Place chopped cucumber, cold water, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and a pinch of salt into a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds.

Strain

Pour the blended cucumber mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl or pitcher, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Discard pulp (or reserve for another use). This yields about 3–4 oz of cucumber juice.

Chill glass (optional)

If serving up, chill a coupe or martini glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes. If serving on the rocks, fill a highball or rocks glass with ice.

Combine juice and soda

Measure about 2.5–3 oz of the strained cucumber juice into your glass. Add 3 oz (about 90 ml) of chilled soda water. Gently stir once or twice to combine, being careful not to lose the carbonation.

Adjust sweetness and acidity

Taste and, if needed, add up to 1 tsp more simple syrup for sweetness or a few drops of lime juice for brightness. Stir briefly to incorporate.

Garnish and serve

For a ribbon: use a vegetable peeler to shave a long thin strip of cucumber and twist it into the glass or drape it along the inside. Or float a thin cucumber slice and a lime wheel on top. Serve immediately—up (no ice) or on the rocks (with ice).