Napa Farmhouse 1885™: Cucumber & Sage Cocktail

Hot summer days scream for a delicious hand crafted cocktail, especially one made with fresh, in season ingredients and best quality spirits. This recipe is one of my new favorites.

My herb garden is overflowing with sage. I planted a couple of 4-inch pots last year and the herb came back with a vengeance this summer. I have been experimenting with recipes to use the wonderful bounty. My favorite is gnocchi or pasta in a butter and sage sauce. I often roast chicken stuffed with fresh sage leaves. Sage pairs wonderfully with pork...and apples in fall. Lovely with white beans and loads of olive oil...or fried sage leaves crumbled on roast vegetables. But today's star is a cocktail with the sage muddled with cucumber and then added to a mixture of tequila, Chambord, lemon juice and topped with Prosecco. Light, tangy, refreshing and really, really good! Man, I love summer.

Cucumber & Sage Cocktail

(This was inspired by the Silver Sage Cocktail at Blue Mesa Grill)

makes 2

4 slices cucumber (about 1 inch thick)

5 sage leaves

2 oz tequila (use a really good one)

1 oz Chambord

juice from 1 lemon

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 cups ice

Prosecco

sage leaves for garnish

Add cucumber and sage to large cocktail shaker. Muddle to combine ingredients. Add tequila, Chambord, lemon juice, agave and ice. Shake vigorously.

Strain in 2 champagne flutes or other tall glasses. Top off with prosecco and a sage leaf garnish. Serve immediately.

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