Cooking 301: Cheers to an EastSide!

There comes that moment when the teacher becomes the student and when it comes to cocktail creating, I was a novice. However, my son, Sam, is a pro! He gladly stepped in and offered a “cocktail” making class at the spur of the moment when I wanted a delicious, cool, crisp drink to hopefully impress a guest.

Back up to earlier in the summer when Denton, a friend from Austin, was at the dock bar with his traveling cocktail bag shaking up the yummiest drink for everyone. Seeing how much everyone loved this drink, he was quick to share the recipe and give important bartending tips. I’m pretty sure he realized he needed to enlist helpers to keep from being stuck at the bar instead of in the boat. Sam was ready to help out!

An EastSide is a super refreshing gin-based drink. Lightly muddled cucumber, fresh mint, lime juice and simple syrup are shaken together, poured over ice and garnished with fresh mint and cucumber. After one, I promise you’ll have a new favorite cocktail that is perfect for summer happy hours or lazy afternoons at the lake. Cheers to a wonderful summer!

EastSide Cocktails

• 4 cucumber slices (I like to use seedless cucumbers)
• 6-8 mint leaves
• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• Topo Chico

1. Muddle cucumber slices in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
2. Add mint leaves, gin, simple syrup, and lime juice. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until your hands get cold.
3. Double strain the cocktail into a glass with ice. Top off with a splash of Topo Chico. Garnish with a slice of cucumber and mint sprig. Slap the mint sprig in your hand before using as garnish. It enhances the mint taste.
4. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the cocktail into the glass. “Double strain” indicates that it strains once through the strainer placed on the opening of the shaker, then a second time through the sieve before entering the glass. This is crucial to prevent any cucumber or mint pieces from getting into the cocktail.

Note: One of our favorite ways to enjoy an EastSide is with a SquareKeg. With a SquareKeg, all you have to do is pre-make your cocktails, fill the keg and enjoy your EastSides on tap!