Cucumber shots (with and without alcohol)
The original recipe for these refreshing cucumber shots with tequila is on the drinks menu at La Ópera Cantina, which opened in Mexico City more than 100 years ago and where politicians, revolutionary fighters, artists and singers have been guests. Once you have drunk the tequila, you can eat the cucumber. A perfect drink for any summer party, from a picnic to a barbecue.
Rosa: ‘This wonderful refreshing snack is surprisingly inseparably linked to Pancho Villa, our (hated or beloved) general during the Mexican Revolution. He is widely known as the first Mexican to lead an invasion of the United States. According to legend, Pancho Villa, Porfirio Diaz and Emiliano Zapata met at La Ópera, where they drank and ate while planning a revolution in the middle of the café.’
‘Even today, the elegant, handcrafted mahogany and gold-leaf interior has been preserved, as has the famous bullet hole in the ceiling shot by the iconic revolutionary, El Centauro del Norte.’
How to make cucumber shots
- Cut the cucumbers into four pieces. Cut off the round bottoms of the cucumbers—we are going to use the cucumbers as shot glasses!
- Using a teaspoon with a long handle, carefully scoop out the seeds and watery parts of the cucumber and discard them. Be careful not to make a hole.
- Dip the rims of the cucumbers first in chamoy (hot chili powder sauce with lime and salt), then in the Tajín seasoning mix or chili powder. (You can find salsa chamoy at an Asian grocery store, for example online at Tjin’s).
- Divide the lime juice among the cucumber shot glasses and add a pinch of salt.
- Pour the tequila shots into them and serve the cucumber shots.
Alcohol-free cucumber shots
Tip: for a child-friendly version, fill the cucumber ‘glasses’ with apple juice or another fruit juice of your choice and skip dipping them in spicy seasoning. For an alcohol-free version, do dip them and fill the cucumbers with an alcohol-free alternative such as alcohol-free gin.
Title: CDMX: A Culinary Journey Through Mexico City
Author: Rosa Cienfuegos
Price: €29.95
Publisher: Good Cook B.V.
In this beautiful and colorful cookbook, Rosa takes you on a culinary journey through one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Discover the dishes that residents make or buy at home, in markets, restaurants and cafés. From breakfast to desserts and from basic dishes to cocktails; in CDMX you will find dishes and drinks from Mexico City that you will want to try.
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