Cucumber Lime Spritzer

I am going to have to come up with a cooler name for this refreshing cocktail

. . . but for now it works. We are celebrating the warmer weather and sunshine that really means that deck season is really here. Today, a dear friend came over to start our new tradition of "afternoon cocktails". This first version was very special as it was reminiscent of a drink we both sampled last year at Local Kitchen and Bar. I even did a review Too Many Cukes which really inspired our whole foray into cucumber cocktails. You know it's serious when I planted cucumbers in a pot on the deck for the sole purpose of making these cocktails (at a later date, as it's just a little sprout right now).

We stayed true to some of the basic elements of the original drink, including (of course) muddled cucumbers and Hendrick's Gin (which in writing this blog today I discovered their quirky site and highly recommend a visit) which is infused with cucumbers and rose petals and distilled in Scotland. This was the first purchase in anticipation of stocking our home for the deck parties, not only because of the liquid contents involved, but for the glass container that reminds me of an old vintage apothecary bottle, complete with a little cork stopper. I am not a huge gin fan but this version is quite different, even down to the smell when you uncork the bottle. There isn't the traditional Christmas tree fragrance but something a lot more refreshing and light.

To our version we added some lime to make it a little more refreshing and because I didn't have any tonic water on hand, nor simple syrup, we used some Sprite which we have in abundance due to a recent Costco run this weekend.  I guess to summarize we made it an easy recipe so we can make it often.

Cucumber Lime Spritzer

Per drink:
3 oz Hendrick's Gin
6 oz Sprite
Cucumber
Lime

Muddle about 3 cucumber slices in the bottom of a tall glas.

In a shaker add crushed ice, and pour in gin and sprite, along with the juice of half a lime, and give a quick shake.  Pour over muddle cucumber.

Garnish with more sliced cucumber and a wedge of lime.

Sunshine - Celebrating Summer

A collection of suns really brighten our outside area

Over the years I have managed to collect all kinds of suns. It really started eons ago, before I even owned a home, in anticipation of one day decorating a kitchen with them all over. I had sun glasses, and sun dishes, and of course lots of suns to adorn walls.


I still love suns, but I'm not necessarily into theme rooms these days, looking more for harmony with complimenting colors (or sometimes contrasting colors) and good pieces that promote style. The suns were relegated to outside duty but I think this really works.


Our privacy fence is functional but not exactly beautiful and adding suns, as well as assorted birdhouses, has added to the overall warm feeling of our outside home.We were going for an inviting area near our deck that would feel cozy.

We also added a couple of funky elements, including some solar lights that look like Chinese lanterns that we hung from the tree (think Giant Christmas Ornaments) and my favorite funky piece. . . a Lucite chandelier silhouette. This was a recent fab find at a garage sale and was originally a display piece at the old Detroit Hudson's department store. When it spins and catches the sun just right it sends fluorescent yellow light on to the panels of the fence and I think it's one of a kind.

Faygo Pop Planter

Garage Sales = Treasure Hunts

I have decided that garage sales may be my new favorite activity. I have dabbled in this throughout the years, especially when the kids were very little as it was a good way to get almost brand new baby clothes and equipment but in recent years I had kind of forgotten about the wonderful things you can find.

This Faygo crate was from this week's expeditions and to be quite honest, I have stumbled across some other ones a couple of weeks prior but they were pricey. To throw a bunch of dirt in it, it didn't make sense to spend a lot of money and the gentleman that I bought this one from seemed to understand, and it was priced reasonably.

Today was "Flower Day" in Eastern Market which meant buying the crate yesterday was part of a master plan. I picked a selection of flowers to add to my box to give it some color but also to tie in with the red "Faygo" logo. I think it came out pretty cool and brightens up our gray and white exterior.