World Cucumber Day

Yes, I like you didn't know that there was a day dedicated to the cucumber until Hendrick's (of course) showed me the light. Leave it to the Willy Wonka-esque brand of the gin world to frame cucumbers in a peculiar and wondrous light.

There is reason to celebrate this odd day dedicated to the humble green fruit. This June 14th, Hendrick's Gin gives you an extra incentive to get creative in your home bar with a friendly competition. Purchasing a bottle of Hendrick's Gin at either Boozeat (RM275 on sale as of this writing) or The Good Stuff (RM295) comes with a crate of cucumbers and cucumber seeds that you can attempt to grow and ultimately use in a salad or a gin and tonic.

Photo: Hendrick's Gin

I've always been partial to a Hendrick's Gin and tonic, for it was my first foray into the wonderfully boozy world of quality gin as a young imbiber. But cucumbers are only half of Hendrick's Gin's signature flavour profile, with rose making up the other half. Still, it is the cucumber that takes precedence when it comes to garnishing. So in my crate, I received an incredibly handy razor zester designed by bartender Alex Kratena and Hendrick's own global ambassador David Piper specifically created to yield razor-thin cucumber slices to go along with your gin and tonic. Or your next bowl of greens.

My cucumber crate

Southeast Asia Brand Ambassador for Hendrick’s Gin, Charmaine Thio, also joins in on the fun with an augmented reality filter on Instagram. Participants are invited to submit their most creative selfies on Instagram Stories and tag @hendricksginsea for the chance to win a crate full of Hendrick’s & Tonic essentials. The contest begins on 14 June and ends on 21 June, with winners to be contacted via a direct message on 22 June.

Hendrick also invites drinkers to come up with the most “peculiar” cucumber garnishes to go with their Hendrick’s and tonic and share it tagging their handle above. Here’s mine.

It's made with two parts Hendrick’s Gin, three parts Fever Tree premium Indian tonic water, thin cucumber ribbons and a rosemary sprig. Nothing overly fancy, just a straight up delicious classic cocktail to beat the heat and welcome the sun setting. Have two of these and you're golden for the rest of the evening.

If you do manage to craft your own fancy take on the G&T, tag me! I'd love to see your proud creation.

Hendrick's Gin