Cucurbit Cooler

Name: Cucurbit Cooler
Ingredients: for the drink; 1 tablespoon grated Japanese or English cucumber; 1 tablespoon watermelon (I scooped it right out); 2 tablespoons lime-citrus-cilantro syrup (recipe below); 1 1/2 -2 ounces vodka; 11/2 teaspoon lime juice (I used 1 juicy wedge of a Tahitian lime); 1 ounce sparkling water; for the lime-citrus-cilantro syrup; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup water; 2 long peels of lime (from the circumference of a larger variety such as Tahitian); 1/4 cup fresh tangerine or Clementine juice; 1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

13 ingredients

2 steps

Ingredients

for the drink
1 tablespoon grated Japanese or English cucumber
1 tablespoon watermelon (I scooped it right out)
2 tablespoons lime-citrus-cilantro syrup (recipe below)
1 1/2 -2 ounces vodka
11/2 teaspoon lime juice (I used 1 juicy wedge of a Tahitian lime)
1 ounce sparkling water
for the lime-citrus-cilantro syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 long peels of lime (from the circumference of a larger variety such as Tahitian)
1/4 cup fresh tangerine or Clementine juice
1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Directions

1

Add grated cucumber and scoop of watermelon to an old-fashioned glass. Gently smush watermelon into cucumber with a pestle, and add ice cubes to glass. Add syrup, vodka, lime juice and top with soda. Stir to combine. Enjoy! Note: If you like your poolside cocktails to be deliciously sneaky, go with 1 1/2 ounces of vodka. If you like to know you are drinking something delicious but sneaky, go with 2 ounces.
2

Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. When sugar has dissolved, add lime peel and tangerine juice. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened, 20 minutes. Add cilantro and boil for 1 minute. Strain mixture through a sieve into a wide glass container to remove solids. Transfer to a glass container with an airtight lid. Allow mixture to cool slightly, cover and refrigerate until cold, preferably overnight.