Watermelon Margaritas and Drinking in the Country

(If you're just here for the recipe, feel free to skip my little digression). 

All of my knowledge of cocktails comes from one source: our first home in Maryland. 

Located on the Potomac, this shack of a house had holes in the ceiling and unfortunate seafoam sponge-painting in the master bedroom. The landlord was a certified jerk (I think the Jerk Store called him, because he was their best customer).

But yet, it was on the water. It had a dock. We would sit and and watch the osperys dip into the water, barely skimming the blue surface as they searched for fish. Paul would cast his reel into the sparkling waters, as the sky faded from orange to purple to black. Together, we would relax in the stillness, serenaded by bullfrogs and the gentle lapping of the water.

We also drank quite a bit. We had no children, and we lived in the middle of nowhere. All of our neighbors came from the same family and had lived there since the Ark and Dove arrived back in 1634.

On our second day there, Paul had a twenty minute conversation with one of the locals and came inside, saying, "Shit, I didn't understand a word he just said. Not a damn thing"

To recap: Our house was a shithole, our landlord was a jerk, our neighbors spoke 7th District gibberish, and it took thirty minutes to hit the nearest grocery store.

This meant we made a lot of cocktails. Some were dismal failures, such as my kerosene flavored mint juleps. Others, though, were big hits.

My favorite cocktail came from Cooking Light.

Here's what you do:

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 lime wedge
• 3 1/2 cups cubed seeded watermelon
• 1/2 cup tequila
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
• Lime wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Place 2 teaspoons sugar in a saucer. Rub rims of 6 glasses with 1 lime wedge; spin rim of each glass in sugar to coat. Set prepared glasses aside. 
2. Combine watermelon and next 4 ingredients (watermelon through triple sec) in a blender; process until smooth.
3. Fill each prepared glass with 1/2 cup crushed ice. Add 1/2 cup margarita to each glass. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, if desired. Serve immediately.

*You can freeze the diced watermelon for up to two weeks. Place diced watermelon on a cookie sheet in the freezer for six hours or overnight. Store frozen cubes in a zip-top freezer bag until ready to use.

This is amazing and dangerously good. Cheers! 

This is a contribution to Share a Straw with Think Tank Momma. Clickity to see other delicious cocktails.

(You know I'm trying the Sangria Blanca this weekend!)