QUESTION: What tastes like summertime?
I bet watermelon came to mind. For me, summertime conjures up memories of splashing around with a bunch of friends in a backyard pool and then feasting on barbecued hot dogs and big, juicy slices of watermelon.
While sliced melon is good, the following are some ideas for cool and refreshing watermelon drinks that will take the sting out of the hottest summer day. They're all easy to make and pretty as a picture. Because of their beautiful rosy colour, any of these would make a great beverage for a bridal shower or a non-alcoholic cocktail option for a wedding (substitute sparkling water or ginger ale for champagne in the Mimosa recipe).
As a bonus, watermelon is a good source of vitamins C and A, as well as lycopene (all three are powerful antioxidants).
Watermelon Frosty
5 cups cubed, seeded watermelon, that has been frozen overnight
1 cup water
1 Tbsp sugar
Juice of 3 limes
2 fresh bananas
Working in batches, combine half of each ingredient in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste for sweetness and add a bit more sugar if necessary. Pour into tall glasses. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Garnish with a fresh or frozen watermelon slice. Makes six servings.
Sparkling Melonade
4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
1 can frozen pink lemonade concentrate Chilled sparkling water or club soda Lime or lemon slices for garnish
Puree the watermelon in a blender until smooth. Pour into a large pitcher; stir in lemonade concentrate until completely melted. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, fill 10-ounce glasses with ice cubes and add half a cup of the watermelon mixture. Top with sparkling water and garnish with lime or lemon slices. Makes eight servings.
Pom-Melon Slushie
4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
1 cup pomegranate juice 1 cup ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth; pour into tall glasses. Makes four servings.
Agua Fresca
This popular Mexican drink is super-refreshing - the name means "fresh water."
4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon, chilled
½ cup ice-cold water
2 Tbsp sugar (or more, depending on sweetness
of watermelon) 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
4 lime slices, cut in half Fresh mint leaves
Puree the watermelon and water together in a blender until smooth. Stir in lime juice and add sugar to taste. Place one halved lime slice and two to three mint leaves in the bottom of each of eight glasses; crush with a cocktail muddler or a wooden spoon handle. Fill each glass with ice and add the watermelon mixture; stir before serving. Garnish with additional mint leaves. Makes eight servings.
Poolside Cooler
2 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
1 pint strawberries, hulled and cut up, plus some whole strawberries for garnish
1 ?3 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed ?3 lemon juice
2 cups ice cubes
Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and garnish with a strawberry. Makes four servings.
Melon/Berry Mimosas
1 cup cubed, seeded watermelon
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp sugar
1 750-ml bottle champagne or prosecco (dry Italian sparkling wine), well chilled
Puree watermelon and raspberries in a blender. Press puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds (discard seeds). Stir sugar into puree, adding more if mixture is too tart. (Puree can be made a day ahead and refrigerated).
To serve, spoon two tablespoons of puree into each of six champagne flutes and top with four ounces of champagne. Makes six servings.
