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Most people stumble on the first ingredient of these incredibly delicious margaritas.  Cucumbers in a margarita?  Sounds like creativity gone awry to some, while those thinking outside the box imagine the refreshing, melon-like flavor that cucumber can offer to sweetened lime and tequila.  No orange liqueur here to dull the crisp freshness.   

9 6-ounce margaritas

3 cups thin-sliced, peeled, seeded cucumber: you’ll need 1 large 16-ounce (European) cucumber or 2 standard 8-ounce (6-inch-long) cucumbers

1 ½ cups 100% agave silver tequila (we like El Milagro or Cazadores in this drink)

1 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup simple syrup (see box, page 000)

A lime half for moistening the glass rim

Coarse (Kosher) salt

Cucumber slices for garnish

Ice cubes (you’ll need 6 or 7 cups—small ones are best)

1. Make the base. In a blender, combine the cucumber, tequila, lime juice and simple syrup.  Blend until the mixture is as smooth as you can get it. Strain into a pitcher, cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.  
2. Shake and serve.  Moisten the rims of 3 6-ounce martini glasses with the cut side of the lime half.  Spread coarse salt on a small plate, then upend the glasses into the salt to crust the rims.  Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ full with ice, then measure in 1½ cups of the margarita base. Cover and shake for 10 to 15 seconds.  Strain into the prepared glasses. Garnish with cucumber slices (I usually cut a slit in each slice and impale one on the side of each glass).  When you’re ready, finish another round of margaritas in the same way.