I’m always poking around blogs on cocktails and spirits and recently read an article about fastening spouts onto hollowed-out melons to be able to pour a drink directly from the melon.  Of course, I needed to try this immediately. I love spectacle – it sells cocktails without even trying.

“Ooo, I want what’s in that watermelon!”

I got myself a good-sized watermelon, scooped out the insides, and attempted to screw a spigot purchased at a home improvement store into the side. The spigot was pretty heavy, and the hole was not exact. I tested it out with water over a sink, and though some did pour out the spigot, plenty poured out of the sides because it wiggled around when opening it to pour.  This wouldn’t work on a bar, though I haven’t given up yet. More tinkering is needed, but in the meantime, it left me with plenty of watermelon!

I set out to put it to good use by first blending it in a blender, and then straining through a fine mesh strainer to get out all the pulp and seeds. This left me with a beautifully deep pink, fresh watermelon juice!

Resist the urge to gulp this down because, trust me, it’s better in this cocktail:

If you can figure out the whole watermelon keg/ spigot thing, first tell me your secret, then just multiply this recipe by the number of servings you need and pour it all in there!

The Surfside ingredients – A Watermelon Cocktail

• 1.5 oz Avua Prata Cachaca
• 1 oz Watermelon Juice (purée chunks of watermelon and strain through a fine mesh strainer, discarding solids)
• .5 oz Lime Juice
• .5 oz Clement Sirop de Canne

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Cachaca, the spirit of Brazil, is made from fresh cane juice, whereas rum is made from molasses.  This results in a more grassy, vegetal spirit with fresh bright notes begging for citrus complements.

Clement Sirop de Canne is a reduction of cane juice to a thick, sweet syrup that is boiled with cinnamon, clove, and vanilla bean.

The flavors marry into a supremely sippable watermelon cocktail that is a great end-of-summer refresher!

image: rochelle greayer

recipe and words by: Joy Flanagan

More great garden fresh cocktails and other ideas for celebrating the season (whatever it is) in a cup!:

• The Gatekeeper – A Practical Magic New England Cocktail
• Seasonal Cocktails – Rhubarb-tini
• Spring in a cup – How to make Two Delicious Rhubarb Cocktails
• Pre-holiday prep – Getting Ready for the Holidays
• How to Make the Perfect Seasonal Cocktail for Winter Solstice