This article original post from Hostthetoast.com
I’m going to let you in on a little secret: even if you’re the manliest of manly, rugged, bearded, I-only-drink-straight-whiskey kind of man, you will smile like a giddy schoolgirl when you take a sip of this hot pink drink. That’s right, I said it. Feel no shame as the brightly colored sweet drops cling to your mustache; simply inform everyone that a hard-working man like yourself needs a nice refreshing drink in the brutal heat of summer as you’re out doing manly man things. Or whatever.
And if you’re not a whiskey-drinking, crime-fighting, axe-wielding dude, then I probably had you sold on this drink the second you read the title of the post. Boozy. Watermelon. Mint. Lemonade. This is the Ryan Gosling of drinks, ladies. It’s a game-changer. It’s what love stories are made of.
See that picture above? Yes, that’s cucumber in the corner you’re seeing. But don’t be scared off! I don’t even like cucumber, but in this drink it is phenomenal. You have to trust me on this one.
Cucumber is one of the most refreshing things you can munch on, and it makes the entire lemonade seven billion times more thirst-quenching in the sticky heat of summer. If you still aren’t sold, I’ll apprehensively say that you can omit the cucumber and the drink will be almost —but not quite— as awesome. At least there’s still the rum. Don’t like rum? Well then we just can’t be friends. (Or you can substitute vodka, or tequila, or you can just replace the liquor with water if you’d like a booze-less version).
But look, guys, it’s Friday, and when it comes down to it, you and I both know you could use a drink. I could use several. With a beautiful weekend coming up, there’s no better excuse to throw together some fresh fruit and enjoy some spiked lemonade outside in the sunshine. You can even make these ahead of time and pour into mason jars, screw on the lids, and serve them on ice at your next barbecue or get-together for grab-and-go cocktails. Simply shake them up and they’re ready to drink!
- 2½ pounds watermelon flesh, seeds removed, cut into chunks
- ¼ cucumber, cut into chunks
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice, plus an additional lemon, sliced, for garnish
- ¼ cup packed mint leaves, plus more mint, for garnish
- 2½ cups white rum, vodka, or water
- ¼ cup agave syrup or simple syrup
- Put the chunked watermelon, cucumber, and mint in a blender, add the lemon juice, and puree until the mixture is smooth.
- Strain the mixture into a pitcher to remove the pulp and leaves.
- Mix in the alcohol or water and slowly mix in the syrup until everything is well-combined.
- Add the lemon slices and ice. Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint. Serve.