You can thank my Facebook friends for this Cucumber Dill Martini recipe. You see, earlier this week, I saw something I didn’t recognize at a grocery store. I posted a photo of this unknown herb on my Facebook page and asked what it was. Lots of people responded to let me know that it was dill. 
I was very interested to learn about this pretty, flowery herb. Turns out, this type of dill has a strong flavor and is often used in pickling. I thought that was the end of it until I came across this a couple days later: A dill pickle martini. Of course I also had to share this gem with my Facebook pals and ask if they would drink such a thing. The responses were mixed, and all this got me thinking. Would I drink a pickle martini? I do like pickles, but that dill pickle spear in a martini glass just isn’t my thing, delicious or not. (As an aside, this just reminded me that the skating rink I went to as a kid sold pickle juice popsicles in the snack bar, and I could never bring myself to try one of those either.) Finding out about pickle cocktails and flowering dill in the same week inspired me to create my own dill-tastic cocktail. I wanted all the cucumber and dill without any of the vinegar or artificial colors. The cucumber dill martini I am bringing you is gorgeous to look at and has a subtle dill flavor. If you aren’t able to find this type of dill (I’ve only seen it at this one store EVER), then try it with baby dill instead. Cheers! 
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 3 slices cucumber
- 1 umbrella head of flowering dill or use a few sprigs of baby dill instead
- 1 1/2 oz. gin
- 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Ingredients
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- Place a martini glass in the freezer to chill.
- Wash the dill very well under cold, running water. Firmly rub it from stem to flower while washing to remove any loose buds.
- Add gin, vermouth, lemon juice, and several cubes of ice to a cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. (Don't talk to me about bruising gin. Just shake it!)
- Arrange cucumber slices and dill in the chilled martini glass, and strain gin mixture over the vegetation. It's OK if the dill is not completely covered. Enjoy!