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Thursday, July 15, 2010

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!) 

Think Tank Momma

13 comments:

Formerly known as Frau said...

Great story....I would be drinking lots too! Recipe sounds delian! I had a frozen Sangaria the other day and baby oh baby I loved it!

adrienzgirl said...

Ah...the good ol' days with no kids, no friends, and nothing to do but drink! You are such a talented story teller!

These sound like a summer HIT fo' sho'! What is it about a hot day and a margarita that just seem so....PERFECT together!?!

Thanks for Sharing, as always!

shortmama said...

This sounds so delicious!!

Macey said...

It sounds awesome!
Not the part with the landlord...but the drink does.

Liz Mays said...

I'm pretty sure I would have been driven to the drink as well.

This one sounds well worth it!

Buffee said...

Hmmmm, could you substitute something else for the tequila? I'm just not a fan, but I LOVE watermelon!

My cubie neighbor is from the Philippines, I can't understand a damn thing he says either! And he talks my ear off a day long!

Great story!

Mel said...

Buffee, I don't care for tequila either, so I always use rum instead. I hear vodka works too.

Nancy, thanks for the awesome recipe and the laugh. My dad's people settled outside of Baltimore in 1634, ha ha. And I have relatives today that are still hard to understand. I believe your recipe is for woortermellllan margaritas, right? :) Thanks for letting me know about the party!

Anonymous said...

I come for the digressions.

I'm so thrilled you're serving margarita's on your blog today!

Now if I could just find someone serving them in real life...

Unknown said...

This sounds de-lish!
P.S- i was a bartender for a lot of days.... yes, without kiddos, drink up!

Toasting you now!

Cheeseboy said...

Those sound perfect for summer. Lime wedges would not be optional for me.

Holly Lefevre said...

I think I need the sun to come and and to have a party...this sounds amazing and a whole lot classier than how we used to have our watermelon drinks...pour it all into the watermelon and pass it around!

cheatymoon said...

Seems like the perfect antidote to unfortunate seafoam sponge painting.

Lothiriel said...

OH MAN!!!! I love this drink! I haver all the ingredients tooo!!!! Yeaaahhhh!!