Cucumber Gazoz
—Adapted from ‘Gazoz’ by Benny Briga and Adeena Sussman (Artisan Books)
The cucumber syrup at the heart of this refreshing sparkler couldn’t be easier to make, and it truly captures the dewy essence of the fruit. The herb and floral garnishes in the assembled drink take the fragrance to the next level. To create the long, thin ribbons of cucumber, use a Y-style vegetable peeler.
INGREDIENTS
Cucumber Gazoz (Syrup)
Makes 1.5 Cups
- 2.2 lbs (1kg) firm cucumbers preferably Persian
- ½ cup (100g) of sugar
Cucumber Gazoz (Drink)
Makes 1 Drink
- 3-4 large ice cubes
- 1-2 tablespoons cucumber syrup
- 2-4 fresh cucumber ribbons
- 1-2 fresh pear slices
- 12 ounces sparkling water
- Field peas and flowers, mint sprigs, Thai basil and basil flowers, or other edible herbs and flowers, for garnish
PREP TIME: 5 min
COOK TIME: 15 min
TOTAL TIME: 20 min
DIRECTIONS
Cucumber Gazoz (Syrup)
- Grate the cucumbers on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor using the shredding disc (see Note).
- Place the grated cucumber in the center of a clean kitchen towel, fold the ends over the cucumber, then squeeze as much juice as you can into a bowl; you should have about 1 cup (240ml) juice.
- Discard the solids, or reserve them for tzatziki or another use. Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved. Transfer the syrup to an airtight bottle or jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.
*Note: You can puree the cucumber instead of grating it, then strain it, but the juice will be slightly more bitter. Place the cucumber in a food processor or blender and puree, then transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Gently push against the solids using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula to extract all the juice.
Cucumber Gazoz (Drink)
- Place ice in a 12- to 16-ounce glass. Spoon in syrup.
- Top with cucumber ribbons and pear slices. Fill the glass with sparkling water. Garnish with the herbs, leaves, greens and flowers of your choice. Insert straw and drink immediately.
