Play It Cool Recipe

Prepare cordial

Combine chopped cucumber and sliced fennel in a blender or food processor and pulse until mostly smooth but not completely liquefied (about 6–8 pulses).

In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar and warm over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves to make a simple syrup base (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat.

Stir the cucumber-fennel purée into the warm syrup. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt, mix well. Let cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a jar, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Chill the cordial; yields about 5–7 oz. Keeps refrigerated up to 5 days.

If desired, rim the serving glass: rub a lime wedge around the glass lip and dip into smoked sea salt or chili-salt (use about 0.5 tsp total).

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice (about 4–6 large cubes).

Add mezcal (2 oz), Ancho Verde liqueur (0.75 oz), fresh lime juice (0.75 oz), fennel-cucumber cordial (0.5 oz), and simple syrup (0.25 oz, optional) to the shaker.

Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Double-strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass over a single large ice cube (or serve neat in a chilled coupe).

Garnish with a thin cucumber ribbon placed on the surface and a small fennel frond tucked beside it.

Serve immediately.