Elderflower and Gin Cooler

by Rachel Watson

Serves 6 (depending on who you invite!)

As a rule if you were to ask me my drink preference, Gin wouldn’t register particularly high on my league table. But then every rule has its exception, and here is mine. Each ingredient some how manages to be subtle yet present, and since all the flavours are quite light it’s perfect outdoors when the sun is shining.

Ingredients
• 100ml elderflower cordial
• 150 ml gin
• 400ml soda
• 1 tray of ice
• 8 thinly sliced circles of cucumber
• 2 thinly sliced circles of apple
• 3 sprigs of mint
• 1 ltr pitcher jug

Method
Pour the elderflower cordial along with the gin straight into your jug and top up with the soda. Scrunch up the sprigs of mint in your hands, enough to bruise them without going overboard. This will assist the exchange of flavours. Add it to the jug along with the cucumber and apple, followed by the ice then stir. Putting the ice in last helps hold down the other ingredients so that they don’t all just float on the top. Allow it to infuse for a few minutes, stir once more than serve.