Yes, this cocktail recipe has zucchini in it! Trust us on this. This drink is inspired by new Melbourne-via-Niigata-Prefecture sake, Toji. The water in their Junmai Daiginjo sake (that’s the best type) comes from melted snow trickling on down from the Asahi mountain range to the Toji brewery. To reflect this idyllic environment, we wanted to create a cocktail that tasted verdant, subtle and clean. Using zucchini water adds earthiness and a vibrant, natural, green colour and we’ve named the drink ‘Harusaki’ which means ‘early spring’ in Japanese. Wonder if this technically counts towards our daily 5 veg?

– The Harusaki-Sake –

– Ingredients –

20ml simple syrup
20ml lemon juice
40ml green tea (preferably made from Japanese Sencha leaves)
1 zucchini, to make 40ml zucchini water
60ml Toji sake
fresh ice
cherry blossoms, for garnish

– Method –

Grate zucchini. Squeeze out the water by hand over a fine sieve or through muslin (save the vegetable part for dinner). Add simple syrup, lemon juice, green tea, zucchini water, sake and ice to shaker. Sake until chilled. Pour into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with cherry blossoms (this combo of pink and green always reminds me of Japan – matcha and sakura everywhere!)

Find more cocktail recipes here.