This Cucumber Gimlet Is a Must-Have for the Weekend
If necessity is the Mother of Invention, then apparently capitalism is the Father of Excess. How many skincare lines, podcasts, or artisanal gins the world needs is, I guess, subjective and debatable, but I feel comfortable saying that the dominant motivators of invention in the modern world are fabricating problems (to sell a solution) by offering cheaper (or more expensive) an alternative to what already exists, or creating your own version of something, why not?
Why deprive the world of the barbecue sauce recipe when it can be bottled and sold? Why not sell “Live, Laugh, Love” crochet coasters on Etsy? No niche is too niche to be a niche! At the center of the Venn diagram of the Mother of Invention and the Father of Capitalism is creativity, and creativity cannot be moralized—it is a chaotic, neutral force fundamental to existence, capable of generating terror, awe, and everything in between, all equally . So, while I’m thinking about this, I want to talk to you about cucumber gimlets. And hopefully convince you to make one.
Most of you are probably familiar with gimlet: gin and lime juice. How much gin, how much lime juice, which gin and which lime juice are all variables for your own derivation, but the most famous and historically known is that gimlet identifies Rose lime juice and dark blue gin (a modern marketing term for 57% ABV). + alcohol) in equal parts. At some point, navy gin gave way to regular gin, gin was promoted, and fresh lime juice and sugar were seen as an acceptable (if not better) replacement for Rose’s.
But there is something even more refreshing in this delicious combination than the drink itself: a perfect example of an invention born of necessity.
You’re a sailor in the 18th century, and scurvy (a problem) is a real bummer that you need to be able to treat (a necessity). Luckily, you know that vitamin C will help, but unfortunately, citrus fruits don’t keep as long as you need (problem), so you need to find a way to store them (need). Eventually, you will find that limes are the most stable and last longer when mixed with a little rum. Unfortunately, rum isn’t enough to make lime juice medicine enjoyable for your shipmates (problem/necessity, you get the idea). They’re sailors, hell, scurvy – so you mix it with super-strong gin and everyone is happy, or at least free of scurvy. Eventually, a ship merchant from Leith figures out that keeping lime juice with sugar is even better, and patents his juice concentrate, called Rose Lime Juice. So Gimlet was born.
The cucumber pickle I made myself last night wasn’t as difficult or life saving as OG, but it helped me solve the problem of using the last piece of cucumber languishing in the fridge and needing a drink. . This is exactly the cocktail that I love – a simple classic, transformed by the addition of one available ingredient. As heavenly as it is, I have no desire to bottle and sell my own, so I encourage you to indulge yourself in making it at home.
cucumber gimlet
- 4 thin cucumber slices
- 2 oz gin
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce plain
Place the cucumber slices in the dish and mash (optional if the slices are thin enough). Add remaining ingredients to shaker, fill with ice and shake vigorously for 12-16 seconds. Strain into a chilled compartment and garnish with a slice of cucumber (also optional, but very pretty).