Cucumber Wasabi Martini

Having a heat wave here, 95 degrees before the fourth of July in the Northwest is kind of unheard of.
So, we're HOT.
And my dishwasher is broken, and I just took out a major loan at Home Depot to replace it and a couple other things.
I need a drink.
This ones feels cool & refreshing, and spicy, and a touch sweet too.
Just right, I must say.

The level of heat your drink will have is going to depend on how much wasabi you use. Start with a smaller amount at first and if you want it a little hotter, go with a little more paste in the next round.

Makes 2

Ingredients:

3 jiggers gin

6 thick slices fresh cucumber

2 pea-sized dollops of wasabi paste

1 jigger simple syrup (I used lemon kind, my recipe is here)

1 lemon, juiced

2 Cucumber thin slices for garnish

Muddle the cucumber slices, wasabi, lemon juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker.

Muddle basically means to smash it to smithereens with a blunt object like a "muddler", or the end of big wooden spoon.

My photo is on the left.  You can see I added quite a bit of wasabi, because I am like that.

Fill with ice and add gin.

Shake well

Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with a slice of cucumber.










Here's what it looked like after I muddled the cucumber wasabi mixture. (below)

Here's a close up of the finished drink, you'll probably have some little seeds or bits of cucumber in your drink.  I think that's OK.