BULLES VERTES

1 ounce St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice (reserve some of the peel)
¼ ounce Green Syrup*
1 cucumber
3 ounces dry sparkling wine

Muddle the cucumber and syrup in a mixing glass. Add the St-Germain, lemon juice and green syrup and lightly shake. Finely strain into a flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

*Green Syrup
1 quart of water
1 quart of sugar
2 sprigs each of fresh rosemary, sage and thyme
Salt

Combine the water and sugar in a pot over medium to high heat and stir to dissolve. Bring to just before a boil, then take off the heat and add rosemary, sage and thyme. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain and add salt to taste. Let cool, bottle and refrigerate between uses.

The St-germain acts as the base spirit of the drink, lending layers of flavors including lychee, pear and grapefruit. The cucumber then serves to elevate the cooling quality of the drink, while the sparkling wine provides the zip, luster and dry finish that really make the fresh flavors sing.

If you don’t have time to infuse the syrup? Simply muddle a touch of the fresh herbs with cucumber and simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water dissolved) in a mixing glass.

Don’t have all three? Use any of the three that you have on hand, or a combination. Feel like something over ice? Strain it into a highball, add fresh ice and top with the sparkling wine or soda water.