My family and I had an unbelievable day at the Trenton Ave Arts Festival last Saturday. I love that blocks full of creative people set up shop for the day a mere two blocks from my house and, this year, we had the privilege of being on the vendor side of the experience. We participated in an effort to raise interest and support in our Kickstarter campaign for our social card game, Top That Toast.

Through two different stacks of cards, our game prompts players to create impromptu toasts. Not only does Top That Toast keep players on their toes it ultimately coaxes them into celebrating all of life’s moments, big or small. On Saturday, we played round after round with perfect strangers, quickly experiencing the beauty of the game as those same people became our friends.

With what felt like a Top That Toast marathon on a particularly hot and humid day, I needed something in my cup that was more flavorful than water but just as thirst quenching. Cucumbers and mint muddled together make for a refreshing base when mixed with ginger-honey simple syrup and fresh lemon juice. Served over ice, it’s definitely worth toasting to.

Cucumber Mint Lemonade

1 cup honey

1 cup sugar

½ cup ginger, roughly chopped

1 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped, plus more sliced for garnish

½ cup mint leaves, chopped

2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cans seltzer water

2 cups water

In a medium sauce pan whisk honey and sugar with 2 cups of water. Add ginger and bring to a boil, then simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Strain mixture, separating out ginger pieces. Allow simple syrup to cool. In a pitcher, muddle ginger and mint, then mix in simple syrup, lemon juice, seltzer and water. Serve in glasses with ice with cucumber slices as garnish.