Give Cucumbers a Gimlet Eye

My own remembrances of gimlets past (“The Getting of Gimlet Wisdom,” Dec. 26): In the early 1950s I was with the State Department in Berlin. Our male friends--Army officers who had served in the Far East--introduced us to a Dutch gin gimlet served with a slice of cucumber instead of fruit. At parties, sailing on the Wannsee or at the 19th hole, the cucumber gave a refreshing crunch and scent to the endless supply of the crystal-clear drink.

ALICE RIVERS

Long Beach