Watermelon Martini

I know this is the case for many fruits and vegetables, but particularly so for watermelon. For it to be good it needs to be in season and preferably grown locally. For years I never really realized how good watermelon could be and I think it’s largely because I was eating watermelons that basically had not taste.

The key to this drink is starting with a good flavorful watermelon, cutting it into cubes and puréeing it in a blender or Vitamix until smooth. It’s as simple as that to make watermelon juice. Even the smallest of watermelons produces a lot of juice – one eighth of a small watermelon equals about a cup (or 8 ounces) of juice. That’s enough for almost three of this drink – the whole watermelon would make about 21 drinks.

Don’t worry if you don’t need to make that many cocktails, the juice is great on its own or as a base for a smoothie or protein drink. Drinking watermelon juice keeps you hydrated and makes you feel more full. Plus, it’s high in many vitamins and healthy plant compounds. Learn more about how good watermelon is for you in Heatlhline’s Top 9 Health Benefits of Eating Watermelon.

I added some Midori (a liqueur made from honeydew melons) to accentuate the melon flavor of this cocktail. A little goes a long way as it’s quite sweet. If you don’t have any in your liquor cabinet, you can do without it for this recipe.

But don’t skip the pinch of sea salt. Adding a bit of salt makes the watermelon taste sweeter – by creating a salty-sweet contrast, the natural sweetness of the melon stands out. One of the reasons why feta (a salty cheese) pairs well with watermelon. (Bonus recipe:  Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad)

Did you know that a watermelon is 92% water – likely that’s where it got its name. Yes, that’s all watermelon juice in the large Mason jar in the photo.

Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Option:  Midori is naturally gluten-free. Be sure to pair it with a gluten-free vodka such as Tito’s (corn-based) or Ciroc (grape-based).