Cucumbers work their magic in this refreshing summer martini

The closest I’ve come to a bar fight recently was while eavesdropping on a conversation in which a fellow customer was holding forth to his date about the pointlessness of the cucumber.

“Why do people even bother with cucumbers?” groused the anti-cuke. “They just taste like water.”

To be fair to my misinformed fellow patron, cucumbers have long had their share of detractors. But these fruits masquerading as vegetables, whether the Kirbys (whose knobbly elliptical snouts remind me of little green humpback whales), the slender English or the Persian minis, are around 95% water, making their juice an effective source of hydration (and, thus, dilution) in a drink.

And they certainly taste like something other than water. Their verdant, almost melon-like perfume is not the absence of flavor but a quieter one. Their delicacy means they pair beautifully with virtually any white spirit — especially blanco tequilas with grassy or peppery notes, and gins, many of which contain cucumber as a botanical.

Launched in the late 1990s, Hendrick’s is the most famously cucumber-y, a distinct gin that shines in contemporary drinks that benefit from its green and floral botanicals. Other modern gins with a cucumber note have followed since its launch.

That subtlety also means flexibility. Over the years, I have used cucumber juice — easily obtained by throwing a couple of chopped cukes in the blender, then straining out the solids — to enhance the flavor of: a bright lime gimlet; a vinegary dill shrub used for a dirty martini riff; a jalapeño and cilantro margarita; an elderflower gin and tonic; as the primary flavor in a funky vodka sip with a little miso and sesame; and heaven knows how many drinks with green Chartreuse, in whose intense herbaceousness cucumber nestles like it’s come home. Cucumber bends to fit within all of these diverse drinks easily, and each of them would have been less without its presence.

Those examples are just a few ways you can use the juice. But the fruit’s high water content means you can also freeze the cucumber into cubes (or discs or strips) that not only chill but gradually impart flavor into the drink. The crisp, firm texture makes it carveable into simple or elaborate garnishes that can top the glass or sink within it, again becoming a source of flavor as the drinker sips. Wide swaths of its peel can be rolled into decorative “roses,” or thinner shreds can be frozen into clear ice.

I hope this defense has persuaded at least some of you to experiment with cucumbers in cocktails. For a start, here’s a drink that makes use of the whole cuke in a summery martini variation, employing the extractive power of alcohol to pull the flavors of cucumber and lime peel into the gin. Try Hendrick’s, or another cucumber-forward option such as those from Esmé or Prairie Organic, if you want more of that flavor.

You’ll want English cucumbers for this, as you’ll want to roll up those long, more flexible peels into an aromatic garnish to balance on the glass.

Equally important is the vermouth, which is not the dry variety typical in martinis. I opted instead for the softly sweeter white vermouth, in this case Martini & Rossi Bianco, which has vanilla and almost lychee-like notes that pair beautifully with cucumber. If you have celery bitters, use them — they add a lovely extra vegetal note. Lemon or lime bitters are a good backup option.

There’s a little waiting while the cucumber and lime zest infuse into the gin. While you wait, stay as cool as a … there’s a word I’m looking for. It’ll come to me.

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Cucumber Martini

For the cucumber-infused gin

1 cup gin (see Notes)

¾ cup (3½ ounces) peeled and coarsely chopped English cucumber (reserve the strips of peel for garnish)

½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest

For the drink

2 ounces cucumber-infused gin

1 ounce blanc vermouth, such as Dolin Blanc

2 dashes celery bitters

Strips of cucumber peel, for garnish

Finely grated lime zest, for garnish (optional)

Make the cucumber-infused gin: In a glass jar or measuring cup, combine the gin, cucumber and lime zest, and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. You should have about 1 cup, enough for 4 drinks. Use right away, or refrigerate until needed.

Make the drink: Chill a cocktail coupe or martini glass. Roll up one of the strips of cucumber peel and skewer it with a pick, then set aside. Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the cucumber-infused gin, blanc vermouth and bitters, and stir until well chilled and diluted, about 30 seconds. Strain into the chilled glass, garnish with the speared cucumber peel and a light dusting of lime zest, if desired, and serve.

Makes 1 cocktail.

Notes: Most gins will work, but if you want to double down on the cucumber flavor, look for a gin that includes cucumber as one of its botanicals (such as Hendrick’s).

Variations: If you want a softer, slightly sweeter drink, combine equal parts gin and vermouth with the bitters. You can also try the drink with dry vermouth, or add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill to the gin infusion in place of the lime zest.

Make ahead: The cucumber gin needs to be infused at least 1 hour in advance. Refrigerate the infused gin for up to 1 week.

— From Spirits columnist M. Carrie Allan