This simple, delightful beverage – the Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca is a cooling non-alcoholic drink combining the juices of fresh cucumber, zesty lime, spiked with a hint of mint-y simple syrup and water. Crafted in a blender effortlessly, it is generally served chilled over ice.

Born in the kitchens of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, Agua Fresca is a celebrated drink, created by blending water with either fruits, grains or nuts, and adding some tang with lime juice. Depending upon one's sweet tooth, the drink can be sweetened with honey, agave or plain sugar. Agua Frescas have a palette of flavors like hibiscus, watermelon, and pineapple. To lend a twist to this classic drink mint or even basil can do wonders.

What sets this Cucumber-Mint Agua Fresca apart is the fresh taste of cucumber and the invigorating hit of mint. The sweetened simple syrup is infused with fresh mint leaves, creating a wonderful harmony with the tangy lime juice and keeping a balance of flavor.

Maintaining this balance of colors and flavors is a technique perfected by Developer Renu Dhar. She suggests peeling off half the cucumber skin to retain the green essence whilst ensuring that the bitterness (usually associated with the skin) is under control.

When picking your mint, English mint, or spearmint, is usually recommended due to its cooling punch, although any mint would work well. But be careful not to steep the mint for too long. It's important to avoid any bitter aftertastes.

Here's how you can craft this beverage at home. For this recipe, developed by Renu Dhar and beautifully narrated by Cheryl Slocum, you'll need:

1 English cucumber of about 12 ounces, 1 cup of mint syrup (preparation below), 1/2 cup of lime juice, 5 cups of water divided into measure, cucumber slices and sprigs of mint for garnish.

Start by peeling half of the cucumber, chop it into 1-inch pieces, and throw it into the blender. Pour the cooled mint syrup, lime juice and 2 cups of cold water into the blender, securing the lid. Blend them until smooth, which should take about 30 to 45 seconds.

Strain this blended mix through a fine wire-mesh into a large pitcher, pressing the solids to extract the juice. Discard the solids and stir the remaining 3 cups of cold water into the pitcher.

Poured and served over ice in a tall glass and garnished with fresh sprigs of mint and cucumber, it's nothing short of refreshment in a glass!

The mint syrup is very easy: Take 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup sugar. Simmer them in saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat, stir in 1 packed cup of mint leaves. Let it steep, covered, for a minimum of 15 minutes. Strain out the mint leaves and let the syrup cool. Voila, your homemade mint syrup is ready to use!