Cucumber Gin Gimlet

 

what's better than a day in the garden? a drink afterwards! especially on a misty day like today. (its the first rain in weeks!) this cocktail is the perfect summer time refreshment and if you are growing your own cucumbers you shouldn't have to wait much longer to harvest your own 'cucs' and try out this handy cucumber gin infusion recipe. then you can sit back and admire your garden and your fancy cocktail skills.

 

a gimlet is a classic cocktail traditionally made with Rose's Lime Juice (a sweetened lime juice) and gin or vodka. Rose's proves hard to find in this part of the world so a simple syrup and fresh lime juice combo makes a good stand in. the gimlet has many variations, a cocktail tip: if you substitute the gin/vodka for rum you'd be making a daiquiri!

 

I had my first gimlet last year in a cool cocktail bar in Barcelona, with no menu.  the gimlets were served with a retro green maraschino cherry as a garnish. im not sure if it was the day-glo green cherries or the heat (or maybe just the gin), but I've been thinking about my own version ever since. a cucumber gin and lime pairing seemed like a good idea. after the first test run I was a bit surprised that I didn't have to tweak the ratio at all. the cucumber flavour makes a great background for the zingy lime juice and herbal gin spices. a word of warning - just follow this golden rule: no more than two!

 

 

I ended up using a store bought cucumber for this recipe, I just couldn't wait for the in season ones! be sure to use the entire thing for packing loads of cucumber flavour in your gin, I recommend Gordon's gin for this recipe it's my favourite at the moment. De-lish!

 

Pumpkin Fudge

i've still got one medium sized pumpkin in the kitchen from this fall's harvest. after awhile pondering what i might make with it, i recalled a particular recipe for Parsnip Vanilla Fudge from the book: Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache, by Harry Eastwood. the book specializes in cakes made with vegetables and low fat, usually wheat free recipes. and guess what? the recipes work! which is great for  gluten free cooking enthusiasts, especially when every recipe uses veg in some way. for those of you used to gluten free baking: you may know some recipes have a tendency to be 'bricklike' and dry. but the clever addition of grated vegetables in Harry's recipes yield moist and light baking.

you don't need much pumpkin for this recipe, so count on making a nice pumpkin curry afterwards.



 

 the authour has a whimsical way of writing recipes, refering to cakes and their individual personalities like they are a part of a story book. which can hit hard on the annoying scale, but if you can over look this then, you are well on your way to exciting baking. the book is well worth the shelf space.

Courgette Bruschetta

the humble Courgette, member of the Cucurbita pepo species

 once the anonmous plastic bag of courgettes has been dropped off at your doorstep, you know summer is at its full tilt. for thoses of you who've grown courgettes, you'll already know its easy to end up with a few dozen to spare. no need to fret or feel like you should be baking zuchinni bread day and night. an simpler, tastier and handier option is courgette bruschetta. fry a couple cloves of garlic, maybe an onion, add all the sliced courgettes you want and saute in olive oil till soft, stir in some chilli flakes and pile high on toast. its really really tasty and whats even better is, you only need 4 ingredients. great for a crowd. some chopped mint pairs great with chilli too, feel free to experiement with herbs. im making this all the time right now.

Courgette Bruschetta on toasted rye bread

 

if you havent grown courgettes, they are one of the most plentiful plants to grow. almost a courgette a day during mid summer! i start mine in 6 inch pots indoors in may, and when the weather gets really warm here in west cork, around mid june i set them in their postion in the garden with a heap of manure or compost in the hole beaneath them. they love nutrients and will repay you for giving them the extra boost. i only grew 2 plants this year, from previous 'courgette overload experiences,' i've learned less is more with this green curcubit. just make sure they have plenty of water or rain. living where i do- i never have to worry about the later.