Cucumber -- an ideal summer drink flavor

Cucumber, as it turns out, is a delicious flavor for a drink.
   Cucumber, Mint and Basil Soda (click for the recipe) from Bon Appetit magazine proves this.
   It tastes like cucumber in pure liquid form, and it tastes mighty fine. Plus there’s nice dashes of mint and basil, as the recipe’s name would imply.
   This non-alcoholic drink is a terrific late spring/summer refresher. It’s light and bubbly like champagne, but it’s not too sweet. Make it for a backyard barbecue, and I guarantee a hit.
   The recipe calls for soda water, but I used club soda instead, as I prefer the taste. Although it doesn’t specify to do this, make sure the club soda is nice and cold before pouring the drinks.
   A simple syrup is made by cooking sugar and water together until the sugar dissolves. This can be refrigerated until needed.
   The simple syrup is brought to a boil in a small saucepan, then is removed from the heat. Thinly-sliced cucumbers, fresh mint leaves and fresh basil leaves are added. The mixture is covered and left to steep for 30 mintes.
   The cucumber-herb syrup is strained into a jar, bowl or other type of container. If not needed right away, this syrup can also be refrigerated.
   Glasses are filled with ice cubes, and two tablespoons of syrup and ½ cup of soda are poured on top and stirred to combine. (The drinks are easily doubled with four tablespoons of syrup and one cup of soda.)
   The recipe says to make 11 more sodas, but you certainly don’t have to do this! The cucumber syrup can be refrigerated for another time and the sodas made again.