Recipe for: Aronia cocktail with tonic and cucumber slice - photo 1
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Recipe for: Aronia cocktail with tonic and cucumber slice

Drinks Regional Cuisine of Poland 15 min Easy 11 views ~2.90 PLN * - (0)
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Description

A refreshing chokeberry cocktail with tonic and a slice of cucumber is a light, summer drink inspired by the Podlasie cuisine — a region where chokeberries often appear in orchards and pantries. The combination of deep, slightly tart chokeberries with sparkling tonic creates a contrast of flavor and texture; the slice of cucumber adds freshness and aroma, while lemon brightens the whole drink. This beverage works great as an aperitif at a summer barbecue, a complement to poultry and duck dishes, or as a standalone, cooling cocktail served with ice and mint. Appearance: intensely purple, with the green accent of a cucumber slice and a mint leaf — striking on a summer table.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (8)

Servings:
2
  • Aronia 200 g
  • Tonic 300 g
  • Cucumber 0.2 pcs (~60 g)
  • Lemon 0.4 pcs (~30 g)
  • Ice 150 g
  • Water 50 ml
  • ✨ Optional
  • Honey 20 ml
  • Mint 10 g
💰 Estimated dish cost: ~2.90 PLN (1.45 PLN/serving)
* Prices missing for some ingredients

💡 Click an ingredient to mark it as used

Preparation steps

Preparation of ingredients

1

Wash the chokeberries under running, cool water in a colander for about 30 seconds. Check the fruits and remove leaves, stems, and any bruised ones. Wash the cucumber with a brush, cut off the ends. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze out 30 ml of juice (about 1 small lemon). Measure out the water and tonic, prepare ice.

Ingredients: aronia, Cucumber, Lemon, tonic, Ice, Water
Use a colander, cutting board, and manual citrus juicer. If the chokeberries are frozen, thaw them briefly in the colander. Do not leave the fruits spread out for too long, as the dark juice can stain surfaces.

Maceration

2

Place the chokeberries (200 g) into the blender container, add 30 ml of lemon juice and 50 ml of water. If you want to sweeten it, add 20 g of honey (optional). Mash manually with a wooden spoon for 20-30 seconds to crush some of the fruit before blending — this will help achieve a smooth puree.

Ingredients: aronia, Lemon, Water, Honey
Use a high-capacity blender or an immersion blender. If you are not using honey, you can skip this ingredient; the flavor will be more tart. Do not add tonic for blending — it will lose its bubbles.

Blending

3

Close the blender and blend on high speed for 30–45 seconds, until the chokeberries form a smooth, uniform puree without large pieces of skin. If the mixture is very thick, add 10 ml of water at a time and blend again for 10 seconds, until you achieve a sauce-like consistency.

Ingredients: aronia, Water, Honey
Use a jug or hand blender. Blend briefly and check the consistency — blending for too long won't hurt, but try not to overheat the drink. If you don't have a blender, mash the fruits with a pestle and strain through a sieve.

Straining

4

Place a fine sieve over a bowl and strain the pulp through the sieve using a silicone spatula or spoon. Press down firmly until a smooth, brightly colored juice remains in the bowl, and the seeds and skins are left in the sieve.

Ingredients: aronia
Use a fine metal sieve and a spatula. If you want a thicker cocktail, stop straining earlier — then the drink will be crushed with bits of fruit.

Mixing and cooling

5

In two tall glasses, place equal amounts of ice (about 75 g per glass). Pour the strained chokeberry juice, 50 ml into each glass (a total of 100 ml with pulp). Add tonic to each glass in a 1:2 ratio (ideally 150 ml of tonic to one glass). Slowly pour the tonic in, spoon by spoon, to preserve the bubbles.

Ingredients: Ice, tonic, aronia, Honey
The best is a long bar spoon or an inverted spoon to gently pour tonic onto the plate. If the drink is too tart, you can add 5–10 g of honey to each glass and stir with a short stirrer.

Decoration

6

Peel thin strips of cucumber using a peeler and cut 2 very thin slices (from about 60 g of cucumber). Place one slice vertically against the wall of the glass, and lay the other on the rim of the glass. Add a sprig of mint (optional) on top.

Ingredients: Cucumber, mint
Use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife. If you want the 'Podlasie garden' effect, leave a thin skin on the strips of cucumber. Gently squeeze the mint between your fingers to release the aroma before adding it.

Serving and final tips

7

Serve the cocktail immediately after preparation, when the tonic is still fizzy. Before serving, suggest tasting and possibly sweetening with honey. The drink is best enjoyed through a straw or directly from the glass to experience the contrast of the bubbles and the thick chokeberry.

Ingredients: tonic, aronia, Cucumber, mint, Honey
The best is a highball glass (tall, narrow) with a capacity of 300–350 ml. Do not prepare the drinks too early — the tonic will lose its fizz, and the cucumber will wilt.

Fun Fact

💡

Aronia (black chokeberry) is a plant often grown in the rural gardens of Podlasie — in the past, juices made from aronia were stored in pantries for winter. When combined with tonic, it gains a modern, refreshing character.

Best for

letnie przyjęcie grillowanie popołudniowe orzeźwienie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve very chilled, with a thin slice of cucumber and a sprig of mint. To preserve maximum bubbles, pour the tonic just before serving and slowly pour it over a spoon. For a non-alcoholic version, you can add a bit of fresh apple juice instead of honey.

🥡 Storage

Best consumed immediately. The strained chokeberry juice can be stored in the refrigerator in a closed jar for up to 24 hours — mix before use. The prepared cocktail should not be stored, as the tonic will lose its fizz after a few minutes.

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