Food - Drink
Why Hendrick's Wants You To Put Rare Cucumbers In Your Gin & Tonic
By GILLIE HOUSTON
Hendrick’s, a Scotland-based company that launched in 1999, is one of the top gin brands in the U.S., and has a long history of flavoring its drinks with cucumber, flowers, and other botanicals. Now, Hendrick's is celebrating cucumbers in a new way with their latest offering: The Hendrick's Curious Cucumber Collection.
The collection is a collaboration with Farmer Jones Farm, and Hendrick's Master Distiller Leslie Gracie also consulted agricultural expert Lenore Newman to help her choose six rare varieties of cucumber. Some are on the brink of extinction, and Hendrick's is raising awareness and allowing customers to appreciate these unique and rare crops.
The rare cucumbers selected by Hendrick's include the citrusy Mexican and South American Cucamelon, the tart Southeast Asian Hmong Red, and the fruity and kiwi-like spiked African Horned cucumber. The Gagon cucumber from Bhutan, the Muromsky from Eastern Europe, and the Aonaga Jibae from Japan are also featured.
The $48 Curious Cucumber Collection kits are still available exclusively via the Farmer Jones Farm website as of September 21, 2022. The kits include up to six cucumber varieties (depending on the harvest), a tasting mat, a companion booklet, and Hendrick's cocktail recipe cards, but you'll have to provide your own gin.