Watermelon-Mint Cooler
A frothy and boozy blend of fresh watermelon, bright mint, and zesty lime.
Have you ever heard of a stay-cation? It’s a vacation, only you’re not actually vacationing. A stay-cation is enjoyed from the comforts of your home as you gaze at the palm tree that lives on your computer screen.
You’re all familiar with the palm tree I’m referring to. It’s the same palm tree that appears on every screen saver in every cubicle of every office building. The I-wish-I-were-sitting-under-that-palm-sipping-on-fresh-coconut-water-instead-of-at-this-dump palm tree.
I’ll wait while you conjure up the mental image of the dream-crushing palm tree.
It’s a big fat tease, but, when you’re broke as a joke, staring at a palm tree on a deserted island somewhere off the coast on a computer screen will do in a pinch.
It also helps if you’re holding a cocktail. Knock back a frothy mug full of watermelon-mint cooler and reality quickly becomes blurred. You’ll have yourself convinced you were rocking on a hammock beneath that palm tree the next morning.
Sweet, juicy watermelon is currently in season and dying to be mixed with booze. Okay, so I don’t know if watermelon is “dying” to be mixed with booze, but I was “dying” to get my hands on one so I could booze it up.
I chopped some watermelon into fat chunks and dumped in the bowl of my new Vitamix blender.
Yes, you heard right. I am now the proud owner of a Vitamix. I only had to wait 30 years to get my hands on one, but I’m not complaining. I think Squirrel got tired of hearing me whine every time we walked past the display at Costco, so he threw in the towel and finally bought the dang thing.
I digress. Back to the cocktail.
After you chop and add the watermelon to the blender, pour in the booze and lime juice. I used a combination of vodka and triple sec for this recipe. We all know vodka and watermelon get along, so that was a no brainer. The triple sec adds a subtle sweet orange flavor to the mix.
Oh yeah, don’t forget the mint. Remove the leaves from the stem and throw it in with the rest of the goods. I also added a little sugar to sweeten the deal.
Pop on the lid and hit the “on” switch. Blend until smooth.
Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve and pour over ice. Add a wedge of lime, hunk of watermelon, and sprig of mint. Serve with a fancy straw.
This sweet and vibrant cocktail is summer in a glass.
Watermelon-Mint Cooler
A sweet and frothy cocktail made with fresh watermelon, mint, and vodka. It’s summer in a glass.
Ingredients:
3 cups chopped watermelon
1/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup vodka
1/4 cup triple sec
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar or simple syrup
Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a blender. Pulse until smooth.
Serve over ice with a wedge of lime, hunk of watermelon, and sprig of mint.