CUCUMBER SAKETINI

Izakaya is trendy. In the evening it is packed, as if you are in New York for a moment. Open kitchen, high heels, Japanese bites, candlelight, beautiful glassware, and good service.

Shaking a perfect cocktail is an art. Being a skilled bartender is a profession. And if you have that combination, I'll be hanging out at your bar every weekend. He must be very nice, think along with you about what you feel like, sense that you also want a bit of water or maybe something to nibble on. Handing you a napkin when you just think: I would like to wipe my hands on something and holding a lighter for your cigarette before you fish it out of your jacket yourself. He can make small talk, but not too pushy and not let you feel that he is eavesdropping on every conversation. So also not jumping into a conversation. Not okay. I have a strong suspicion that this bartender from Izakaya knows exactly how it works.

What do you need and how do you make it:

• 40ml Gin (this bartender used Hendricks Gin)
• 20ml Sake
• 10ml simple syrup (you can easily make this yourself. 2 cups of granulated sugar, 1 cup of water. Put a pot of water on the heat, do not let it boil. Add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved, then immediately remove the pot from the heat. Done.)
• 1.5 centimeters cucumber (peeled)

Always start by putting some ice in your glass to cool it down. Put the piece of cucumber in the shaker and muddle it. Then add the rest of the ingredients and let your shake skills show. Then use a strainer to pour the drink into the glass. Otherwise, you'll have a lot of pulp and that's not nice.

When I took my first sip of this cocktail, I was sold. Izakaya is the bomb, the bartender is awesome, and the cocktails are delicious.