The Crooked Ladle

WHITE LINEN COCKTAIL - A Perfect Patio Potion

WHITE LINEN HANDCRAFTED COCKTAIL - Crisp and refreshing

White Linen Handcrafted Cocktail

Crisp and refreshing is what comes to mind when I first tasted this lovely White Linen potion that my friend, Christine, introduced to me. If you've never experienced a White Linen, I think it has an understated taste where when you take your first sip, you think, humm,

but then you want more.

Once, at a restaurant pub company event of a previous employer, I ordered a White Linen. I had to give my recipe to the bartender because he had never heard of it before. Then my colleagues started asking me what I was drinking. I told them and I let them have a taste (not on my straw). Within the hour, five or six people had ordered White Linens. l think that speaks of this cocktail's desirability.

My experience ordering this cocktail out is that the mixologist rarely includes a nice cucumber embellishment. But this girl enjoys a pretty cocktail, so I included a striking adornment in this recipe.

Servings: 1

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Suggested Prep Tools:

· Cutting board

· Long sharp knife

· Stir spoon

. Small saucepan

. Wooden spoon

. Measuring cups

Optional:

. Shaker

. Jigger

Ingredients:

Cocktail -

· 1 ½ ounce - your favorite gin or try Tanqueray, Hendricks, Gordons or others

· ½ ounce - St. Germain Elder Flower Liqueur

· 1 ounce - Simple syrup (refer to recipe below)

· 1 ounce - Pure lemon juice (bottled is fine)

. ½ cup - Rough chopped cucumber (skins on)

· 1/4 cup - Soda water or Sprite

· 2 - long length-wise thin cut slices cucumber - (used for garnish inside the serving glass)

. 5-6 thinly sliced cucumber cuts from remaining cucumber

10 or so standard ice cubes

Simple Syrup -

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. First prepare the garnish by wrapping one or two very thin slices of the cucumber on the inside of the glass so that is lays up against the glass in your desired design.

2. Combine the first five listed ingredients in a shaker until the outside of the shaker is ice cold. Strain into a "bourbon" size (short) glass with ice, top with soda water and stir.

Note: If you don't have a shaker you can use a "martini" pitcher or, you can just omit using these and the chopped cucumbers. And if you choose not to use the cucumber side garnish, you can just chop cucumbers and add them to the bottom of a glass. It's the cucumber that helps enhance the refreshing flavor in this cocktail so it should be added in some fashion.

Simple Syrup Recipe

You can always purchase pre-made simple syrup, but it's really incredibly easy to make with just two ingredients, water and sugar.

Merely combine equal parts of sugar and water (in this case 1/4 cup of each) in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil on medium heat while stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved entirely. This should take just a few minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat and allow the simple syrup to cool completely. You may place it in the refrigerator if you are making ahead of time. Homemade simple syrup lasts days in the refrigerator.