Nole and I recently signed up for a CSA and, twice a month, we’ve been getting boxes practically overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables.  It can be tough to find new ways to use and prepare all that produce, so I decided to throw some of it into a cocktail and see what happened.  Verdict: success!  This is a really fresh and refreshing drink for summer: a Cucumber-Peach Tequila Cobbler.  – Andrew

Read below for the full recipe!

Cucumber-Peach Tequila Cobbler

2 oz Tequila
1/4 Cucumber, Peeled and Seeded
1/2 Small Ripe Peach
1/4 oz Agave Syrup (or 1/2 oz Simple Syrup)
Splash of Lime Juice

In your shaker, muddle the cucumber and peach into a pulp.  Add the Tequila, syrup, and lime juice.  Shake hard with ice to blend everything.  Strain well – you might want to use a tea strainer to help strain out all the pulp – into a chilled coup, garnish with a slice of cucumber, and enjoy.

 

Tequila, with its rich vegetal Agave flavors, is easy to pair with a lot of fresh produce.  The cucumber and peach complement the Tequila nicely here, giving this drink a sweet fruitiness but also a rich earthiness.

When it comes to cocktails, fresh is best.  It can be easy to cut corners and use bottled citrus juices (I’ve been guilty of this from time to time), but the difference between fresh and bottled can be pretty dramatic.  A drink like this, which uses only the freshest juices, illustrates why: the flavors are robust intense in ways that no bottled juice ever could be.  If, like us, you’re wondering what to do with your overflowing CSA delivery, consider experimenting with some cocktails.

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper