Watermelon, Fresh Herbs, & Sotol Cocktail

Today we’ll be discussing two of my favorite words in the English language: drink and summer. You see, my days of closing down the bar have come and gone (apparently along with sleeping in past 6am, and having a full head of hair). And while I love a good nightcap as much as the next guy, I’m a day drinker at heart. Set me out back in a hammock on a warm summer day, ballgame on the radio, and a cocktail in hand, and I’m one happy camper. Extra points if that cocktail has pickled watermelon rind, fresh herbs, and sotol!! Well, what do you know, that’s exactly what I’m mixing up for you today.

Watermelon, Fresh Herbs, & Sotol Cocktail

Sweet watermelon juice and agave are countered with tart bursts of pickled rind and lime. A chiffonade of fresh mint and cilantro add depth to this sotol based cocktail

Servings: 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS

For the cocktail

• 2 oz sotol
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz light agave syrup
• 2 oz watermelon juice
• 6 pieces pickled watermelon rind (see below)
• 1 mint sprig (de-stemmed and chiffonaded)
• 2 cilantro sprigs (de-stemmed and chiffonaded)

For the pickled watermelon rind

• 1 inch stick of ginger (peeled)
• 1 star anise
• rind + 1/2 inch red flesh from half of a small watermelon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

For the pickled watermelon rind

1. Start by cutting the rind off of the watermelon. Try your best to leave some of the red flesh on the rid. Carefully remove the green skin from the rind, then cut the rind into 3/4 inch chunks.
2. Add the ginger, star anise, sugar, vinegar, water, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the watermelon rind and simmer for about a minute.
3. Remove from heat and add to a heat-proof container to cool. Once cool, seal and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving, and up to one week.

For the cocktail

1. Add the ciffonade of mint and cilantro, pickled watermelon rind, lime juice, agave syrup, and sotol to the bottom of a mixing glass. Top with ice and quickly shake for 5 seconds.
2. Pour the entire contents of the shaker into a highball glass. Add watermelon juice, and top with more ice as needed.

DRINK THE SUMMER 2016 PARTY PEOPLE:

BOOZY

   With Food + Love | Basil Fig Vodka Smash

   A Little Saffron | Beach Bum’s Rum

   A Thought For Food | Tarragon Tequlia Swizzle

   Downshiftology | Limoncello Prosecco with Blueberries and Thyme

   Heart of a Baker | Green Tea Mint Cooler

   Hungry Girl por Vida | Whisky Peach Alexander

   The Green Life | Spiced Plum, Fig & Kombucha Cocktail

   Hummingbird High | Watermelon and Mint Agua Fresca

   Floating Kitchen | Peach Sun Tea and Bourbon Cocktail

   Beard and Bonnet | Melon Mojito

   EGD | Backyard Peach Sweet Tea

   Appeasing a Food Geek | Basil and Black Pepper Gin Sour

   Vegetarian Ventures | Garden Tonic Punch

   Nosh and Nourish | Mango Margaritas with Chile Lime Salted Rims

   Domesticate ME! | Watermelon-Basil Mezcal Margarita

   The Foodie Nurse | Husk Cherry Margarita

   my name is yeh | Choose Your Own Adventure Bloody Marys

   Sevengrams | Cucumber, Gin and Chartreuse Cocktail

   Wicked Spatula | Coconut Gin and Tonic

   Eat Boutique | Sbagliatos and Homemade Sweet Vermouth

   Nutritionist in the Kitch | Healthy Muddled Blackberry Pina Coladas

   Chocolate + Marrow | Pequito Verdecito

   The Solstice Table | Jalapeno Watermelon Cooler

   HonestlyYUM | Watermelon, Fresh Herbs, & Sotol Cocktail

   Seasonal Cravings | Strawberry Lime Gin Rickey

   Salted Plains | Frozen Honeydew Daiquiris

   The Broken Bread | Honeydew-Ginger Apricot Mojitos

   Fix Feast Flair | Ginger-Berry Splash Cocktail

   Turntable Kitchen | Summer Cooler Cocktails, Two Ways

   Foolproof Living | Blueberry, Dark Cherry and Calvados Cocktail

   Dessert for Two | Salty Melon Slush

Milly’s Kitchen | Golden Watermelon Cocktail with Ginger, Basil + Tequila

NOT BOOZY

   Heartbeet Kitchen | Salty Watermelon Shrub Elixir

   TENDING the TABLE | Raspberry and Fig Hibiscus Cooler

   Snixy Kitchen | Lavender Earl Gray Blackberry Ice Cream Floats

   The Bojon Gourmet | Vanilla Rooibos Peach Ice Cream Floats

   Gratitude and Greens | Hong Kong Style Crushed Watermelon Ice

   My Heart Beets | Spiced Pistachio Shake

   rooting the sun | Strawberry Fennel Soda

   The Modern Proper | Vanilla Bean Plum Shrub

   Feed Me Phoebe | Watermelon-Cucumber Kombucha Coolers

   Gourmande in the Kitchen | Stone Fruit Thyme Shrub Soda

   dolly and oatmeal | Cold-Brewed Shiso & Hibiscus Tea Iced Latte

   happy hearted kitchen | Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Fennel, Orange + Cardamom

   I am a Food Blog | Cherry Vanilla Sodas

   Tasty Yummies | Fig Vanilla Bean Almond Milk

   Let’s talk evergreen | Iced Earl Grey Yuanyang With a Hint of Rose

   Kale & Caramel | Emerald Beaut Green Spritzer

   Earthy Feast | Watermelon Hibiscus Agua Fresca

   Now, Forager | Sparkling Plumcot and Purple Basil Shrubs

   The Pig & Quill | Brown Sugar Blueberry Pie Shakes

   Well and Full | Peach Bubble Tea

   Sweetish Co | The Best Frozen Hot Chocolate

   holly & flora | Spiced Pineapple Shrub Sparklers with Black Tea + Coconut

 

(images by HonestlyYUM; pickled watermelon rind recipe adapted from Momofuku)