All the back to school stuff clogging the aisles of every store is making me feel a bit uneasy. Oh sure, I’ll miss the boys. We have had a playful summer and wallowed in the luxury of boredom. But I won’t miss the din of constant bickering. For the record, bickering at deafening decibels is not white noise. It’s more like torturous nail-scratch-on-the-blackboard, head exploding orangey-red noise. Yup, I won’t miss that.
The back to school fanfare makes me take note of summer’s impending end. By summer I mean cucumber/tomato/pepper/zucchini/watermelon season. I measure time by produce. It’s always hard to bid adieu to my summer bounty. My family will roll their eyes at every meal as I try to cram in the last of the harvest. It’s a time for tears when the farmers market is void of ‘maters and cukes.
I did happen upon this cucumber soda the other day. It just might save me when I need a taste of summer while I shiver in winter’s clutches. I decided to pair it with some citrus vodka and a generous sprig of mint.
Summer Makes Me Cuke
2 ounces citrus vodka
6 ounces Dry. cucumber soda (I found it at Fresh Market. See where you can find it in your area.)
big sprig of fresh mint
Add ice cubes to a lowball glass. Add citrus vodka. Top with cucumber soda. Give it a stir with the mint and plop in the mint for garnish. I nibble on the sprig as I sip. Make sure you drink with a friend who will tell you if you have a bit o’ mint stuck in your teeth.
For what it’s worth, Mac Daddy liked this cocktail so much he walked off with my test batch. I’m pretty sure the bickering didn’t drive him to drink.