THC-Infused Cucumber, Blood Orange & Mint Cooler

I am a huge fan of cocktails and mocktails that use puddles of orange, either blood orange or regular orange (grilled first, trust me on this), along with coins of cucumber and tangles of well-washed, fresh mint. Sometimes I make this take on a punch with a THC-medicated, rich simple syrup, and other times I use deeply infused Rhum Agricole from Martinique… or a combination of the two when I really want to get ripped. 

In this case, I am sticking to the mocktail version. It is true that the Rhum Agricole method is quite salubrious, but you can add the funky Agricole Rhum on your own time. It is breakfast time here in New Jersey (where I’m writing this), ten degrees out and I am not yet ready to drink before the sun is warm over my toes. It is not like I am chillaxing by the town pool, that is frozen solid right now! Brrr.... I am freezing! 

This drink will enlighten you into believing that it’s in the mid-eighties outside and you just might need an inspirational dollop of amusement in your day. 

Please remember the reason you enjoy a cannabis infused beverage in the first place. They are non-confrontational. Smoking a fatty in the street will get all kinds of attention. Some are positive, but most negative. When you smoke cannabis, everyone knows your business. Stigmas aside, I prefer to let people draw their conclusions about me through the things I say, not the weed I smoke. Although in some circles this should not hurt! 

But I digress. This is not about smoking cannabis in the street, but it is about enjoying one of the finest craft cocktails you have ever sipped, packed full of your favorite healing herbs. You know what kind of herb I am discussing, right? 

The main ingredient in the mocktail happens to taste darned good at this time of the year, as some of the best oranges I have ever tasted come to NJ in the winter months. This is peak citrus season, and the deeper and more exotic sensory experience is always available with blood oranges, spicy and funky after grilled. When you draw your chef’s knife and make two-inch slices in the orange, sprinkle a little sea salt over the top of each slice. You will have prepared a grill, either outside with fire, or inside using a cast iron grill pan. Whatever way you choose, the fun thing is watching the sweet fruit caramelize against the flame. But do not cook the fruit too much; I am only looking for a golden-brown hue - not charred. And please remember, when you take hot food off the fire it will continue to cook, so please keep this lesson in mind. 

Set aside the grilled circles of oranges and let them cool. 

European cucumbers are those long, slender vegetables that often come packaged in a sealed plastic covering. This is to protect the tender skin of the cucumber from bruising. It also allows you to use the fragrant skin and the oils in your mocktail without peeling the cucumber first… a win/win. 

Cut several cucumbers into coins, about an inch around and set aside with a clean and damp cloth on the top of them. 

Ingredients:

• 1-3 small oranges cut into crescents about an inch or two in diameter (grilled and set to cool)

• 2-3 European Cucumbers, cut into coins

• 2-3 bunches, well-washed, fresh mint

• Fee Brothers Cucumber Bitters

• 1-750 ml (about 25.36 oz) bottle of sparkling water 

• ½ cup, medicated raw honey simple syrup- made 1:1/honey to spring water and 1 ounce (about 29.57 ml) of decarbed cannabis infused into each fluid cup of the simple syrup... It sounds like a lot, and it is! These drinks will be potent. Common sense will tell you not to drink more than one per full hour. 
  

Instructions:

1. In a punch bowl, muddle the grilled orange along with the coins of European cucumber. 

2. Add the medicated honey syrup into the mix and top with a 750ml (about 25.36 oz) bottle of cool sparkling water, 

3. stir to combine and slap a bunch of mint over the top. 

4. Add some ice and stir. 

5. Dot the top of this drink with cucumber bitters, Fee Brothers makes a fine version of this artistic, off-bitter liquid. 

Pro Tip:

Wash mint well, let dry in cloth toweling.

To slap mint, place it in your hand, and slap it. Just like that! 

This releases the oils in the mint and makes it more fragrant. 

Pro Tip:

Raw Honey Simple Syrup (with decarbed cannabis)

Decarb your cannabis to reveal the THC, from THCA- Activating it.

This is accomplished by heat and time. 220-240 degrees for 45 minutes, well covered, or I use the Ardent device to decarb - a much better idea - no burnt batches! 

Let cool, covered if you use an oven. And it’s going to stink, unless you use the Ardent, which gives off no odor. Something to keep in mind.  https://ardentcannabis.com/ 

I also own a Levo2. This machine does everything I’ve discussed in making an infused simple syrup. Decarbing and infusing are simple with this crafty device.  

1 do a 1:1 syrup in the Levo2 as well. The Levo2 does one cup batches so cut the liquid to ½ cup honey to ½ cup spring water in this device... I use ¼ ounce per batch in the Levo2.  https://levooil.com/