Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz

This Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz is a refreshing cocktail. Pair it with the Spiced Lamb Burger to taste why mint and lamb are a perfect combo.

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This Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz cocktail was created to pair with the Delicious Gluten Free Spiced Lamb Burger. Whether or not you pair it with the burger, it is a perfect spring or summer refreshing cocktail. Since it was made to pair with the lamb burger, it is not like the other Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizzes. For one simple reason, the rosemary simple syrup.

While I explain later why the rosemary simple syrup works so well with the lamb burger, it also works incredibly well on its own. The rosemary adds a nice herbal complexity to the base of this cocktail. Often a mint cocktail can be more one note, but that note is incredibly refreshing, which is awesome. But I wanted to add some complexity to the cocktail. Rosemary does just that. It is not an intense rosemary flavor, but rosemary has beautiful spice.

This spice of rosemary is perfect for a couple reasons. It first adds intrigue to the overall cocktail. But importantly, it marries so well with the gin! Why? Those peppery notes also can come across a bit like evergreen or juniper! Juniper is one of the main botanicals in gin. So by adding the rosemary to the simple syrup it helps to enhance these gin flavors and bring a nice depth to the cocktail. Can you forego the rosemary? Absolutely. Will it be bad? No, but it won’t be as good. Give this delicious and refreshing Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz a try at your next spring time or summer BBQ. It is for sure a crowd pleaser.

Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz Recipe Notes & Substitutions

Mint– FRESH MINT IS KEY!! Do not substitute dried mint for fresh mint here! Need it gotta have it! Use the mint available in the store, typically spearmint. Peppermint will work too, but spearmint is the one used in mojitos and easier to find. If you are making this cocktail on its own you could use basil in place of the mint. But, if you are pairing this Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz with the Delicious Gluten Free Spiced Lamb Burger, don’t substitute the mint. For the reasoning check out my description below or check out this blog by Cook’s Illustrated discussing the scientific reason mint and lamb work so well together.

Cucumber– Another important ingredient. If you do not like cucumber or do not have it, you can leave it out. I like the refreshing qualities it adds to the cocktail. I also typically buy Persian cucumbers now so the skin is softer, thinner and less bitter. English cucumber is also a comparable substitute. Regular cucumbers will work, but you may want to remove half the skin because they are more bitter than English or Persian cucumbers. If you want to sub out cucumber, jicama would likely work.

Gin– I chose gin because I figured it would help pair with the lamb burger best. If you do not have gin or do not like gin you can use vodka or white rum instead. Both will make a great and refreshing cocktail. The rosemary simple syrup helps bring some gin characteristics if you decide to not use gin.

Rosemary Simple Syrup– Simple syrup with rosemary steeped in it. It is easy to make and delicious! The longer it sits the more infused it will be. Use fresh or dried rosemary, but will work well here. Make it on the stove top for a larger batch or in the microwave for just one or two servings. Both options work!

Lemon– Use fresh citrus. Lemon or lime will work, but I like lemon paired with the lamb better, so I chose lemon.

Note on Gin and Gluten Free– Gin is technically gluten free. Since it is a distilled spirit it should be safe for gluten free. HOWEVER, everyone is different and some still react to gin with a gluten sensitivity. So be mindful of this. Verywell Fit wrote this blog post on Gluten Free gin and they give a couple examples of non-grain based gin. Furthermore, watch out for some brands or styles of gin as they may cotnain gluten as an additive through other ingredients.

Why this pairing works.

This Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz and the Delicious Gluten Free Spiced Lamb Burger are seriously an incredible pairing. Each component in the drink pairs with the burger so perfectly. First we have the ever important mint. Check out this blog by Cook’s Illustrated for a more in-depth discussion on the mint and lamb pairing. But suffice it to say, these literally chemically work together. In layman’s terms though, I find the herbal qualities of mint work so well with the gamey flavor of lamb. The depth of lamb can stand up to these herbal qualities. Furthermore the refreshing nature of mint and that cooling menthol help lighten this darker meat.

The cucumber does the same thing as the mint with the lamb. It helps to lighten a heavy meat. Lamb can be very gamey so combining it with the mint and cucumber help to brighten up the meat. With something that can be more intense like lamb (when compared to beef), adding refreshing ingredients helps to balance the flavors incredibly well.

The other aspects of this Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz that work so well with the Delicious Gluten Free Spiced Lamb Burger is the gin and rosemary simple syrup. I chose to use the rosemary simple syrup because I knew it would balance out the lamb. Rosemary works similar to the mint, adding herbal structure to balance the lamb. The interesting part of rosemary is it doesn’t add refreshing qualities to the lamb, but removes the harshness in a different way. By adding a little bitter, peppery and evergreen quality it subdues the lamb. Not overpowering subdue, but in a way that lightens the gamey flavor just enough.

This is also why I chose gin in the cocktail, because like rosemary adding that base herbal layer tames some of the gamey lamb flavor. It also works to spice up the beverage and the bite. The rest of the cocktail works so well with any of the Mediterranean flavors you add to the burger whether that is feta, tomato, more cucumber or especially that tzatziki aioli. Oh and the fizz portion of the gin fizz helps clean that palate so you are ready for another bite after each sip. Give this Mint and Cucumber Gin Fizz and Delicious Gluten Free Spiced Lamb Burger a try for your next spring or summer BBQ, it will not disappoint!