Here’s Why Hendrick’s Gin Brought Some Rare Cucumbers Back From the Verge of Extinction
Did you know that cucumbers were fruits? I definitely didn’t. It’s one of the many things I learned when Hendrick’s Gin recently introduced its Curious Cucumber Collection.
The brand teamed with Farmer Jones Farm at The Chef’s Garden to bring some of the most rare and peculiar cucumbers from around the globe back from the brink of extinction and made them available for the masses.
Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie worked with Dr. Lenore Newman, one of North America’s foremost experts in agriculture, to identify multiple varieties of rare cucumber species across the globe. Hendrick’s and its farm partners, The Chefs Garden and MX Morningstar Farm saved these fruits (see!) from extinction.
“You could say I have a healthy obsession with cucumbers, they truly are quite fascinating fruits,” said Hendrick’s Master Distiller Lesley Gracie. “When we were first developing Hendrick’s, experimenting with cucumbers and figuring out how to get that curious cooling sensation into a gin was a big moment in my career. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing so many diverse and wonderful varieties of cucumber in different parts of the world. The chance to cultivate some of the more peculiar styles on the brink of extinction has been an extremely fun and welcomed challenge.”
The six rare cucumbers the team revived include Cucamelon, African Horned, The Hmong Red, Aonaga Jibal, Gagon Cucumber and Muromsky Cucumber. The various seeds were sourced from across the globe after months of academic research and meticulously cultivated in greenhouses across North America and Europe.
The Cucamelon (Melothria scabra) is cultivated as a minor crop in Mexico and Central America, and very rarely seen elsewhere. Flavors are similar to a cucumber, yet sweeter and citrus-like, with an exterior resemblance to a mini-watermelon — hence the name. The African Horned (Cucumis metuliferus), with its mix of orange & green with horn-like spikes, is a close relative of the cucumber that primarily grows in southern Africa, carrying notes of melon, banana and citrus.The Hmong Red (Cucumis sativus) is grown by the Hmong people in the mountains of Northern Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar, where upon maturation, this fruit transitions in color from a pale green to a golden orange, and offers a tart flavor.
The Aonaga Jibai (Cucumis sativus), from the island of Kyushu, Japan, can only be found in the town of Beppu, where it’s known for its long and narrow shape and sweet taste. Only found in Bhutan, the Gagon Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) shifts from containing the characteristics of a cucumber to honeydew as it matures. Eastern Europe’s Muromsky Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is covered in black spikes and is known for its scent, texture and flavor.
“As someone who has devoted my career to the discovery and preservation of rare fruits and vegetables, I can say with conviction that what Hendrick’s has done for these cucumbers is a tremendous scientific accomplishment,” said Dr. Lenore Newman, PhD & Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley.
Among the first to experiment with these extraordinary fruits, Hendrick’s National Ambassador Vance Henderson tasted and tested to create a cocktail experience. “Experimenting with these rare cucumbers was not only a pleasure, but an exploration in itself and a welcomed creative challenge,” says Hendrick’s Gin National Ambassador Vance Henderson. “One of our favorite creations, The Cutecumber Lemonade, is an ode to our popular Hendrick’s Cucumber Lemonade with one-of-a-kind notes of citrus from the Cucamelon that beautifully compliment our delicious and refreshing gin and mixes well with the unusual.”
Thousands of these cucumbers have been cultivated globally and are available in the United States via an exclusive Curious Cucumber Collection from Farmer Jones Farm at The Chef’s Garden in a farm-fresh variety pack for $48, with no one box the same based on harvest at time of order.
