The Lesley Cucumber cocktail from Tiger in Paris’ 6th arrondissement brings together cucumber and basil to make a fresh and herbal drink
Tiger‘s Lesley Cucumber picked up its named from the creator of Hendrick’s, but its essence can be traced back to the Basil Smash, a relatively new cocktail first made at the Le Lion • Bar de Paris in Hamburg, Germany. It’s best enjoyed with tomato dishes and only requires four ingredients, making it an easy crowd-pleaser especially when you’re short on time.
Name the cocktail.
Lesley Cucumber
What inspired the name? What’s this drink’s origin story?
It’s the creator of Hendrick’s, Lesley Gracie, who inspired its name, because it is made with Hendrick’s Gin and it is a gin based on cucumber and rose essence.
What other drinks belong in its family?
Basil Smash
If you like Cucumber and a Basil Smash you should try this drink.
What food is this cocktail best served with?
It goes very well with hot or cold tomato-based dishes : salad or pasta for example.
Ingredients
Hendrick’s mixed with fresh cucumbers, fresh basil, lemon juice, and homemade sugar syrup.
Directions
- Start by mixing Hendrick’s with the fresh cucumbers.
- Filter the preparation.
- Pour into a shaker.
- Add fresh basil, lemon juice and homemade sugar syrup.
- Shake hard enough so that the basil permeates the preparation.
- Pour everything into an old fashion glass, filtering it once again with a double strainer to avoid residue of pulp and basil.
- Add a fresh basil leaf for garnish.
To mix Hendrick’s with cucumbers, simply mix them with a blender.
For the sugar syrup, you need 1kg of sugar and 1L of water (always make sure you have the same quantity of water as sugar), heat the sugar and water until simmering.
For measurements : Hendricks and cucumbers mix 5cl, lemon juice 2cl, sugar syrup 1cl.
