Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Although I am not a big fan of watermelon, I do love a good watermelon drink. At work we often make an agua fresca at lunch which is simply a puree of watermelon, water, and a little sugar (if necessary), served with lots of ice. Here is another option. Of course, no booze at work — this is more of a weekend treat.
Ingredients
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups water
4 sprigs rosemary
1 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed
7 cups watermelon, cut into a 1" dice (about half a medium watermelon)
8 ounces gin
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Procedure
Place sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan, add rosemary sprigs. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, remove from heat, cover saucepan and let sit for at least an hour to infuse. In a blender, combine the lemon juice with cubed watermelon. Add the watermelon in batches, blending in between each addition. Add in the rosemary simple syrup 1/4 cup at a time until the mixture is at your desired sweetness. I use about a cup. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher and add 1 cup of cold water, the gin, and fill with the watermelon mixture. Stir to combine. Serve in jars garnished with a lemon slice and half of a rosemary sprig. Serves 6.
