Just because the yellow school buses are making their rounds, it doesn’t mean summer is over. So let’s put down the pumpkin-spice-everything and savor these last days, deal?
Toll House Hotel in Los Gatos, CA doesn’t skimp on summer. (In fact, they don’t skimp on much of anything.) The on-site restaurant, The Verge, is a fast favorite among locals and travelers alike. A recent $1 million floor-to-ceiling renovation, tripled the capacity and added thoughtfully designed seating for both large parties and solo-travelers.
As for the grub, Executive Chef Albert Nguyen-Phoc delivers his take on California Fusion Cuisine, drawing on his Vietnamese heritage and Parisian training. Many dishes are prepared sous vide a French style of cooking, which, translated literally, means “under vacuum.” (Trust us, Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken — after four hours of sous vide, and a quick flash fry — will rock your world.)
In the spirit of their over-the-top hospitality, they’ve opened their bar to share the recipe for one of their top-selling concoctions — the Cucumber Mint Cocktail. Now, you can bring Toll House to your house, just in time for the for the final days of summer!
CUCUMBER MINT COCKTAIL:
2 Cucumber slices + more for garnish.
8 Mint leaves
1 pinch of salt
1/2oz Mint simple syrup
2 oz Blanco Tequila
3/4 oz Yellow Chartruese
1 oz Fresh lime juice
- Muddle cucumber slices, mint leaves, salt and simple syrup
- Add ice, tequila, yellow chartruese, lime juice.
- Shake shake shake
- Strain into a chilled martini glass
- Garnish with a cucumber spear and a mint leave
- Enjoy. Repeat as desired.
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