We are clinging on to summer with both hands — around our cocktail glass that is. You can feel that summer is coming to a close as kids go back to school and the wildflowers begin to disappear, but we’re not going to stop our summertime drinks from flowing. The watermelon is still delicious and mint is always aplenty, so we whipped up a cocktail that combined the two and keeps our summertime vibe alive.
We also have a — dare we say brilliant — way to avoid the dreaded clogging of your summer glass dispenser. There’s nothing worse than presenting your beautiful fruit filled summer refreshment to your guests for the spout to clog on you and you spend your time hosting with a wooden spoon trying to force your creation out. So here it is: to make pouring fool proof, before you fill the dispenser, fill the bottom with glass decorative fillers (glass rocks or disks which you can find at Michael’s) to above the spout. This will filter the fruit away from the spout and voilà! Cocktails are served!
The one detail to keep in mind with this recipe is that the vodka needs to soak in the fruit for about a week, so plan ahead. This recipe proportion makes a strong, and only slightly sweetened drink. Adjust the sugar and/or the soda water portions to suit your desired tastes.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon of quality vodka (I used Tito’s)
- 1 medium size watermelon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 20 mint leaves
- 2 lemons, thinly sliced
- 2 gallons of soda water
- watermelon pieces
- mint leaves
Instructions
- Cut the rind of the watermelon and cut the fruit into 2 inch pieces that will fit in your jar. Add to the jar along with the vodka and let soak for at least 5 and up to 8 days.
- On the day you are ready to serve, make a mint simple syrup by heating the sugar, water and mint leaves over a medium heat until the sugar has melted and the syrup smells fragrant of mint. Discard the mint leaves and let cool. Add to the jar with the vodka and watermelon.
- To make a drink, add ice to a tall glass. Fill 2/3 full with the vodka mixture. Top with soda water, lemon slices, mint leaves and watermelon pieces. Stir to combine.
