Holiday Sparkler

Holiday Sparkler

Like your drinks more sophisticated? This bubbly sparkler is a delightful mix of herbal gin and cucumber topped with a refreshing sparkling wine—and a cucumber Christmas tree.

Yield: 1 serving

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Ingredients

For the cocktail:

1 medium-to-long English cucumber (divided)
1 oz. simple syrup
1 oz. lemon juice
1½ oz. gin
2 oz. sparkling wine (maybe a little more)

For the cucumber Christmas tree garnish:

Toothpick or bamboo skewer
Maraschino cherries
A small piece of orange or lemon peel

Directions

Make the cocktail

  1. Muddle 3 slices of cucumber and simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
  2. Add lemon juice, gin and ice.
  3. Shake for at least 15 seconds. Then strain into a wine glass.
  4. Add sparkling wine to fill.

Make the Christmas tree

  1. Thread a toothpick or skewer with a maraschino cherry to make the tree trunk. (If you’re using a toothpick, you’ll want to score the bottom of the cherry so it will stay on the edge of the glass.)
  2. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a long, end-to-end strip from the cucumber.
  3. Fold the cucumber strip back and forth to form the tree shape, then thread onto the skewer above the cherry.
  4. With small scissors, a super-sharp knife or an itty-bitty star cookie cutter, cut a star from the piece of lemon or orange peel and attach to the top of the tree.