I'm dubbing this season "The Summer of Gin."

I have never liked gin. I was made a nasty gin cocktail at some point in college that turned me off to it for years. I didn't dare even give it a second chance.

Then, this past fall when I was in Paris, I had a gruesome day of shopping and stopped all willy-nilly at a bar on the Champs Élysées for a pick-me-up and ordered a Cucumber Gin Collins. I don't know why I chose it, it just sounded perfect.

And it was the best cocktail I have ever had.

Since then I've been obsessed with gin. No more vodka for me! David is so glad of that.

French 75, Tom Collins, Gimlets. I love them all.

But, to get back to the roots of my gin love, I recently decided to recreate the cucumber gin collins with actual cucumber-infused gin instead of juiced cucumbers.

And so, I did it. I bought an English cucumber (no seeds!) and did it! Just peel it, slice it, and soak it! Let sit for 3 or 4 days, and enjoy!

So, here commences the Summer of Gin.