One fruit there is seemingly no shortage of in summertime are watermelons, which range in size from the huge oblong seeded melons to the smaller, rounded seedless varieties. And no matter which size you decide to buy (perhaps a larger melon to serve to party guests, or a smaller one to share amongst a few friends) there always seems to be an abundance of leftover watermelon.
The watermelon is a strange fruit, not suited to most fruit applications (i.e. baking, preserving, etc.) because of how watery it is. Luckily, it is this very nature that makes watermelon an excellent cocktail addition as its juice is easily extracted; simply push chunks of watermelon through a sieve or puree in a blender. As an added bonus, juicing watermelons results in minimal waste, and creates smooth, refreshing cocktails.
Watermelon Martini
- 1 cup Watermelon Juice
- 1/2 cup Vodka
- 1/4 cup Simple Syrup
- Juice of 1 Lime
For fresh watermelon juice, press watermelon chunks through a sieve or cheesecloth. Pour watermelon juice, vodka, lime juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. If desired, rim martini glass with sugar/salt. Pour contents of cocktail shaker through a strainer into martini glass and garnish with a wedge of watermelon, if desired. Enjoy!
Watermelon Bellini
- 3 cups cubed Seedless Watermelon, frozen
- 2 tbsp. Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 3 cups chilled Prosecco (or other Sparkling Wine), divided
Place watermelon, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon juice, and 1 cup of wine in a blender; process until smooth. Pour about 1/3 cup watermelon mixture into each of 8 glasses. Pour 1/4 cup remaining wine into each glass. Garnish with a lemon rind, if desired. Enjoy!
Watermelon Mojito
- 4 large Mint Leaves
- 1/2 a Lime
- 1 tbsp. Sugar
- 4 oz. cubed Seedless Watermelon
- 2 oz. White Rum
- 1/2 cup Ice Cubes
Combine mint, lime, and sugar in a large glass and muddle until sugar is dissolved. Add watermelon, and muddle until broken down. Stir in rum and ice cubes. Garnish with a watermelon wedge, if desired. Enjoy!
Watermelon Sangria
- 2 lbs. cubed Seedless Watermelon
- 1 bottle dry White Wine
- 6 oz. Vodka
- 4 oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 4 oz. Citrus Syrup
- Ice
Puree the watermelon cubes in a blender, and pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Add the white wine, vodka, Cointreau (Triple Sec) and citrus syrup. Stir and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir again, thoroughly; pour the sangria into ice-filled wine glasses. Garnish with watermelon balls or watermelon wedges, if desired. Enjoy!
*Find ingredients locally at Chicago Lake Liquors, Hennepin Lake Liquors, Merwin Liquors, and Zipp’s Liquors. I recommend hitting up the local Farmers Market for delicious fresh watermelon.
If you like these recipes you might also enjoy Champagne cocktails, Cranberry Slush cocktails, and the Capri Sun cocktail.
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