La Luna
Ingredients:
2 parts Hendrick's Gin
1 part cucumber juice
1 part fresh lime juice
1 part mild jalapeno syrup
2 parts soda
Garnish: Kosher salted cucumber spear
To Make Cucumber Juice:
Pass whole, unpeeled English cucumbers through a juice extractor.
To Make Jalapeno Syrup:
Muddle 8 cored and chopped jalapenos into 2 cups raw sugar until a thick paste is formed. Add 2 cups water, heat, and stir until sugar dissolves. Reduce until 1.5 cups remains. (Add seeds, to taste, to adjust spiciness.) Strain off all solids and chill.
To Make La Luna:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a tall glass. Add ice and then top with Soda. Stir gently to incorporate. Garnish with a salted cucumber spear (seeds removed).
Photo: Courtesy of XA, The Experiential Agency