Inspiration comes in the strangest of places – but those more often than not those are the times and places where the bestest of the best ideas spring up. This weekend was one of them. Saturday night after a busy day of unpacking Ben’s entire life up here in the Great Wet West Side of Seattle, we jaunted over to Redmond for a double date with Beka and her hubby, Mr. Jason. 

After a delicioso dinner at the local Tequila bar, where Beka and I let our inner (sometimes full on outward) foodies seep and slither through, we sucked down a couple of much deserved margaritas like fish. and proceeded back to their place for a night cap and a game or four of generic-Jenga. 
Well, it was technically “Tumbling Towers”, but really – it’s Jenga all the same. But back to the whole point of this here post – inspiration lay on the counter with the most holy of alcoholic combinations before us, undiscovered until that moment. With the great wet west-side of Seattle’s spring hiding behind the incessant cluster of clouds – we brought it to us in this here drink. 
Beka recently purchased a bottle of cucumber vodka and we pondered what to mix in with it. Well none other than a little Lemon San Pellegrino. How could you lose with something so light and refreshing? 
Well, today I took it one step further – with my own cucumber and basil and by infusing my own vodka. There is an array of flavored vodkas out there, from pomegranate, whipped cream, blackberry, melon and even bacon vodka. Really? Bacon? But why buy bottled vodka when you can do it all yourself, especially with a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen? 
Here I had two varieties that I wanted to whip up – cucumber vodka and basil-infused vodka. It’s simple enough. Two 8 oz. canning jars, 1 pint of vodka and a handful of the ingredients you want to include. 

Toss in the herbs.

Pour over the vodka – lather, rinse, repeat. 
Set aside in a cool, dark place for a week and you’re good to go! Gently shake everyday and viola! 
For Your Garden Lovers’ Spritzer
~ 1 ounce of Cucumber Vodka
~ 5 ounces, Lemon Mineral Water – like San Pellegrino
~ 5 ice cubes 
~ 1 leaf of fresh Basil.
Mash ice and basil. Pour over vodka and lemon water – serve! Easy peasy.
Now go – and grab a hold of that spring feeling, beating that winter weather into submission. Go on, you know you wanna.