Cucumber Margarita time!

I believe it was quite some time ago that I promised this recipe... No, I didn't forget. And yes... oh yes, we have been testing a good number of them. In fact, I'm drinking one right now. I have come to understand that simple syrup is the secret to a really great margarita. Mix up a couple of these this weekend and toast the end to a great summer. Makes one big drink:

Ingredients

5 oz. cucumber juice (from 1 med. cucumber)

2 oz. lime flavored simple syrup

2-3 oz. tequila

3 oz. limeade (I like Simply Limeade)

For lime simple syrup, heat one part sugar to one part lime juice (the refrigerated stuff is easiest!) until sugar is dissolved, cool.

Peel, seed and chop cucumber. Blend and strain through mesh sieve. Or use the juice leftover from making the Baja Cream Sauce you'll serve with Fish Tacos?

Mix it all together in a cocktail shaker with ice, pour and ENJOY.

You can also substitute all or part pureed melon for cucumber.

Thai Iced Tea

Drinking from a Mason jar not required.

 My friend, Shannon introduced me to making this on my own. (Thanks, Shannon!) Up until then, it was reserved for trips out to lunch... only, living in rural Vermont with children afforded us few opportunities for going out to eat Thai food.  There was that one place in Hanover...

Anyway, the first step is to order your Thai tea.  If you ever venture into experimenting with Thai food, Import Foods.com is a good place to look for some of those hard-to-find ingredients.

Stir it up.

 Some recipes call for sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk instead of sugar and cream; I'm sure you could make something yummy with agave nectar, or something lighter with just milk.  You can definitely play with the sweetness and strength to taste.  Here's what I do:

4 Tbsp tea per quart of water

1/2 c. granulated sugar per quart

half & half

Boil your quart (or two, if you're doubling -- you should probably double it!) of water, along with the tea mix. Boil on medium-high for 5 minutes.  You want some strong tea that'll stand up to melting ice!

Filter through a mesh strainer to catch the big stuff.  Filter again through a cheesecloth or a Thai tea filter.  You can just pick one of those up when you're ordering your tea.  Add the sugar, and stir to dissolve.  Let it cool for a while on the counter, then stick it in the fridge.

Serve it over ice, top with half & half.  Enjoy!

Mmmmm.