I received more than a few emails from people who had some difficulty getting enough juice from their cucumber (and one from a particularly angry young gal I'm kinda worried about, such is her hatred toward the gourd), but I was happy to see so many of you tried the drinks at home over the 4th of July holiday. I think I know the issue. Did some of you use hothouse cucumbers? You really want to get a fatty, and yes, that might mean something non-organic, but not liquid, no cocktail.

Since last Wednesday, I had a chance to try icon Grill's herbal martini, muddled cucumber and sage with Bombay Sapphire. The cooling action of the cucumber toned down the sage (which I don't often think of in the summertime), and the effect when mixed with the very aromatic Sapphire was delicious, like sucking back the very color green itself. Here's a recipe that approximates the feeling, with a little added heat:

1 ½ ounces of your favorite gin
1 tablespoon cucumber juice
4-6 mint or sage leaves (you could also use dill)
Salt and cayenne pepper (optional)

Muddle the cucumber, herbs, salt and cayenne. Add ice and gin, shake, and strain into a cocktail glass. Pick the herb you like best, or a combination thereof. If you want something a little weaker, strain over ice and top with a splash or more of soda. For those of you who found the taste of cucumber flat or too mellow, try throwing in a pinch of salt next time. Not enough for the drink to be salty, it will just enhance the flavor a few notches, but cucumber is supposed to be subtle. That's why it works so well with a boisterous spirit like gin.