Watermelon Margarita

Forget orange, lime or even pomegranate juices. I’ve been head-over-heels for watermelon juice since the season started and found a glorious way to integrate it into my weekend cocktail hour.

You could buy a large melon, scoop out its meat and mash the juice from it. I opt for the easy path. My local farmer’s market has sweetly carved up the melon, packing the fruit in easy plastic containers to take-away. I grab a few tubs each week, as this fruit juice is quite refreshing during our hot summers in the northeast.

Tonight, I popped the fruit into a blender and kept my little finger on purify until there were no lumps to be seen. Next, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and all the ingredients below. Shake and pour, with ice, into a hefty glass, and decorate with a chunk of melon. Sure, I could strain out the ice and serve it straight up in a martini glass. But I wanted my husband to feel at home with a large, hefty glass, so I kept the ice

Watermelon Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 parts, watermelon juice
• 1 part, orange liquor
• 1 part, tequila
• 1/2 lime, squeezed into shaker

You could also choose to garnish with lime wedges, but I’m a design freak who believes in the power of the monochromatic, so it had to be a watermelon chunk. You may opt to make these super strong or fairly light; play around with the measurements to get a drink that suits your event. Today, I wanted something tasty but light. On an evening when one needs a little more punch to ease the nerves, you could certainly up the liquor ratio.