Forget cash and plastic! For one day only, the humble but versatile cucumber can be exchanged for a shot of Hendrick’s & Tonic at selected bars in the metro. Mark June 14 on your calendar as the day people celebrate “World Cucumber Day.”
What do access, followers and number of likes and downloads have in common? If you know how to position and maximise them, you can turn these intangibles into currency. Well, you can now add to that growing list the humble cucumber, as Hendrick’s Gin recognizes the true value of the versatile veggie as an exchangeable monetary unit to buy yourself a shot of Hendrick’s & Tonic. But the cucumber’s power to quench your thirst happens only tomorrow, June 14.
Hendrick’s Gin has always held the cucumber in the highest regard. The spirit’s unusual distillation process includes an infusion of rose and cucumber, which yields an extraordinarily smooth gin that is a rare union of lightness and complexity. Not only that, but there is simply no better way to cap off a Hendrick’s cocktail than with a little green garnish cut from the same fruit that gives Hendrick’s its pleasingly unusual flavour.
World Cucumber Day is an annual celebration, which sees the gin maker exalt the remarkable veggie – or fruit to some — by adding oddly delightful to everyday stuff to inspire people to cultivate and embrace their unusual side.
Following 2019’s successful exchange of the green of cash for the green of a cucumber, the gin maker has partnered with 38 bars, including Bar 55, Lampara, Bar Flora, After Hours, Salt and Ice (Molito and BGC), Oto, Curator, Run Rabbit Run, Japonesa, West 32, Agimat, Distillery, Hola Bombón, Southbank (Estancia and Alabang), Brick and Mortar, Burnt Bean, Craft BGC, Fauna, St. Louis, LIT, LAB, Katsu, Scarlet, Draft (Molito, BGC, Rockwell), Maillard, Silong, Spritz, Keepers Bar, Hola Eat Drink & Play, RM16, Kona PH, Vault, Bar by East, and Seven, to facilitate these unorthodox transactions. The bars will accept bona fide cucumbers of any species as currency – or “bar tender” – in exchange for a refreshing Hendrick’s & Tonic during a dedicated “Cucumber Hour.”
Charmaine Thio, Hendricks’ Southeast Asia ambassador, says, “After a well-received trial in 2019, where we converted the beloved cucumber into currency, we’re inviting curious-minded individuals once again to exchange this unconventional green fruit for the most peculiar libation, a Hendrick’s & Tonic.”
She adds, “There is simply no better way to cap off a Hendrick’s cocktail than with a little green garnish cut from the same fruit that gives the gin its delightfully unusual flavour. Whether it’s a classic slice, peculiar spears, a bold wedge or an unusual tongue, the cucumber gives ample opportunity for expressive experimentation in shape and size that is sure to please the eye as well as the palate. We welcome those with a shared disposition to join us in the wondrous possibilities World Cucumber Day has to offer.”
“Cucumber Hour” will run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. tomorrow, June 14. Participating bars are Bar 55, Lampara, Bar Flora, After Hours, Salt and Ice (Molito and BGC), Oto, Curator, Run Rabbit Run, Japonesa, West 32, Agimat, Distillery, Hola Bombon, Southbank (Estancia and Alabang), Brick and Mortar, Burnt Bean, Craft BGC, Fauna, St. Louis, LIT, LAB, Katsu, Scarlet, Draft (Molito, BGC, Rockwell), Maillard, Silong, Spritz, Keepers Bar, Hola Eat Drink & Play, RM16, Kona PH, Vault, Bar by East and Seven.
For more information on World Cucumber Day, visit www.hendricksgin.com