{drink week} Melon Daquiri

Editor’s Note: What relaxes and recharges us from a long hot summer day, and keeps things interesting in the kitchen when you don’t want to turn on the oven, than drinks made with melon, plums, watermelon and the other in-season fruits, herbs and vegetables the Northeast harvest bounty can offer? Get out your blender, cocktail shaker, melon baller, umbrellas and fancy glassware as we’ll have  5,7 or 10 days of creative drinks posts featuring some really creative flavor combinations and person journeys into drinks’ of the past and bar techniques brought home. It may turn into a full two weeks if the fabulous contributions keep rolling in from our guest or regular contributors!

First up, Deanna, our resident Cocktail Expert with her on-going series ‘drink it up‘. She began the summer with her watermelon julep and is continuing down that path with a Melon Daquiri. Cheers! -Christina

Melon season is finally here! Watermelon, honeydew, musk melon, cantaloupe – all will be filling farm stands and markets to the point of overflowing. They are so tempting to buy, but there are only so many crescents of melon-y goodness one can enjoy before getting tired of it. And since adding booze it a good solution for most problems (I’m kidding… maybe), a Melon Daquiri might be just the cure for your vine-ripened doldrums.

RECIPE: MELON DAQUIRI
{makes two cocktails}

INGREDIENTS
Half of a melon (I used cantaloupe, use what you like!), seeded, peeled and chopped
5-7 mint leaves
Juice from half a lime
1 ounce simple syrup*
3 ounces white rum

METHODS

Place melon on a sheet pan and freeze for a few hours. Once frozen, place in a blender with mint leaves, simple syrup, and rum. Blend until smooth. Pour into a martini glass and garnish with melon balls skewered onto a long mint stem/sprig.

*Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine one cup of water with 1/2 cup of sugar (or sugar-substitute, like Stevia). Bring to a simmer and stir until all sugar has dissolved and the syrup appears clear. Remove from the heat and allow the leaves to step for 10 minutes. Refrigerate.

A hammock & a drink. Perfection.

OPTION #1: For a fun twist, scoop melon out of the rind using a metal spoon, then save the rind and use as a cup!
OPTION #2: You can also substitute the lime juice for a few peeled slices of kiwi for a bit of a different flavor.