Forager’s Gin and Tonic

gin - tonic - cucumber - watercress

• 1 part Hendrick’s gin

• 2 parts tonic (pull out the fancy stuff, generic tonic is too sweet for this)

• 6-7 paper thin slices of English cucumber (use a vegetable peeler)

• few sprigs of watercress

line a smooth-sided tumbler or rocks glass with the slices of cucumber and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes

in a shaker, muddle watercress with gin

add ice and tonic and stir

pour gently into frozen glass, garnish with watercress, whatever else you’ve foraged

notes:

I came up with this one after picking a bunch of fresh watercress from a cold creek while on a hike. I’m a sucker for herbaceous cocktails, and I immediately thought the pepperiness of the watercress would complement a more vegetal gin like Hendricks. The frozen cucumber glass is a tad bit gimmicky, but somehow it just makes the drink all the more crisp and green.