Named ‘Handle with Care’, the kiwano cocktail brings together the exotic flavour of the unusual African Horned Cucumber with white rum and jalapeño.
Kiwano Cocktail: ‘Handle with Care’ – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
Kiwano or African Horned Cucumber
Native to Africa, Kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus) or African Horned Cucumber grows as an annual vine and produces a fruit with horn-like spikes. This unusual fruit which is a member of the cucumber and melon family (Cucurbitaceae) is also known as horned melon, spiked melon and jelly melon.
The climbing vine is one of the edibles we had growing in The Gourmantic Garden over summer. It produces oval shaped fruit that looks like a hand grenade with sharp spikes. Inside, the pulp inside is full of seeds in jelly, and depending on what stage of ripeness it is harvested, the flavour can vary from a mildly sweet cucumber to one with hints of tropical fruit such as a banana.
For this cocktail, the subtle sweetness of the African Horned Cucumber pulp is paired with white rum, lime juice and muddled with jalapeño for a spicy kick. A touch of sea salt brightens the flavour and enhances the vegetal note of the jalapeño.
We’ve named the kiwano cocktail, “Handle with Care” because the vine is very prickly if you brush against it and let’s face it, the fruit looks like like a hand grenade. For a novelty factor, you could serve the drink in the hollowed out kiwano shell but it is rather prickly and difficult to hold. We suggest you serve it alongside the drink.
Kiwano Cocktail: Handle with Care
The recipe for the Kiwano Cocktail is now available in my 260+ page digital book, GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN 1 Part Grow Guides, 1 Part Cocktails & a Dash of Flavour Pairing available as a digital download. Get your copy HERE.
Updated 26 June 2023
