In honor of World Cucumber Day, the device is embarking on a quest to “properly garnish” thousands of drinks.
To celebrate today’s World Cucumber Day, a truck-sized cucumber-slicing device is setting off across the U.S. to make sure your next gin cocktail is properly garnished.
The Hendrick’s Grand Garnisher, which is based in New York City until the end of June, is part of a new campaign for Hendrick’s Gin. The device itself is 38-feet-long and relies upon an elaborate system of pneumatic tubing, interlocking gears and rotating blades to slice up to 18 cucumbers per hour. It can achieve road speeds of 25 mph thanks to a hybrid powertrain, which combines a large diesel motor and a well-dressed gentleman pedaling a large-wheeled bicycle.
Courtesy of Jessica Giesey
Hendrick’s ambassador Mark Stoddard describes the new invention as, “an eye-popping, wondrously strange cucumber slicing device that will travel the U.S. with the sole purpose of offering the most beautifully garnished Hendrick’s Gin cocktails ever to grace a glass.” While the machine does not provide the most efficient way to garnish a cocktail, Stoddard believes that it will certainly be the most spectacular.
For those who prefer to slice cucumbers at home instead, Hendrick’s is also releasing a smaller version of the device called the Hendrick’s Petite Garnisher. This handheld version can accommodate two cucumbers at once and was designed by Hendrick’s to slice the perfect eighth of an inch thick cucumber wheel garnish.
The tour will continue through to December, when it will come to an end in Washington D.C. on December 13th. Along the way, the Grand Garnisher will make stops in such cities as Chicago, Seattle, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta amongst others.
And once you’ve mastered your own garnishing technique, be sure to try your hand and crafting the perfect gin cocktails at home.