Cucumber Mint Water with Lemon

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large glass pitcher (2-quart capacity)
• •Sharp knife or mandoline
• •Cutting board

Instructions

1. 1

   Select your cucumber

   Start with the cucumber. It should be firm, heavy for its size, and smell faintly of the vine. English or Persian cucumbers work best here because their skin is thin and unwaxed, their seeds small and tender. If you can only find waxed supermarket cucumbers, peel them. Otherwise you are drinking wax water.

   Farmers' market cucumbers picked that morning have an aliveness that grocery store produce cannot match. Taste the difference once and you will not go back.
2. 2

   Slice paper-thin

   Slice the cucumber as thin as your knife allows, nearly translucent. These delicate rounds release their essence into the water slowly and look beautiful suspended in the pitcher. A mandoline makes quick work of this, but a sharp knife and patience serve just as well.

3. 3

   Prepare the lemon

   Wash the lemon well, then slice it into thin wheels, removing any visible seeds as you go. The peel contains fragrant oils that brighten every sip. Use the whole fruit. Meyer lemons, if you can find them, bring a gentler acidity and floral perfume that pairs beautifully with cucumber.

4. 4

   Bruise the mint

   Take your mint sprigs and gently crush them between your palms. Do not shred them. Just press until you smell that bright, clean fragrance rise up. This breaks the cell walls and releases the oils without turning the leaves dark and bitter.

5. 5

   Assemble the pitcher

   Layer the cucumber slices, lemon wheels, and bruised mint in a large glass pitcher. Pour cold filtered water over everything. If you want a touch of sweetness, add a tablespoon or two of local honey or homemade simple syrup now and stir gently to dissolve.

   Good water matters here. If your tap water tastes of chlorine, so will your cucumber water. Filter it or use spring water.
6. 6

   Let it infuse

   Refrigerate for at least one hour, though two to four hours produces the fullest flavor. The water will turn pale and luminous as the cucumber releases its essence. Taste it. You will know when it is ready. The flavor should be cool and green, bright with lemon, and refreshing without being overpowering.

7. 7

   Serve cold

   Pour over ice into glasses, letting some of the cucumber slices, lemon wheels, and mint leaves tumble in. Each glass should feel like a small still life. Refill the pitcher once with fresh water. After that, start again with new ingredients.

Chef Tips

• •Buy cucumbers that smell like cucumbers. If you cannot smell them through the skin, they will not flavor your water.
• •Mint from your own garden or the farmers' market has life in it that the plastic clamshells cannot offer. If you have a sunny windowsill, grow your own. It asks for almost nothing and gives you everything.
• •Never use bottled lemon juice. The preservatives and processing strip away the very brightness you are after. Squeeze your own or do not bother.
• •For a subtle variation, add a few thin slices of fresh ginger or a sprig of basil. Let the season guide you.
• •In winter, when cucumbers are pale and flavorless, try citrus water instead: blood oranges, cara caras, and Meyer lemons with rosemary. Follow the season, not the recipe.

Advance Preparation

• •Infused water tastes best within 8 hours of making. After that, the cucumber turns soft and the mint can become bitter.
• •Slice cucumbers and lemons up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate separately. Assemble just before guests arrive for the freshest flavor.
• •Keep a rotation of pitchers going for large gatherings. As one empties, the next is already infusing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 240g)