Watermelon Rosemary Lemonade

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.

Chilled Watermelon Soup

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Watermelon's a lycopene star — 1 cup has nearly 7 milligrams of the cancer-fighting stuff. That counteracts the addition of the Riesling and the Prosecco, which adds a refreshing crispness and a nice little buzz.

Ingredients
6 pounds yellow or red seedless watermelon, diced into cubes (9 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup Riesling
1/4 cup Prosecco
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
8 teaspoons crumbled feta

Procedure
Combine 1 cup of the watermelon with mint and sugar in a bowl. Set aside. Blend remaining 8 cups watermelon, lemon juice, wines, and ginger in a blender until smooth. Let sit 1/2 hour. Strain soup; divide among 8 bowls. Top each with 1/8 cup reserved watermelon cubes and 1 teaspoon feta. This makes 8 portions.

Agua de Sandia with Rum

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
In many of the local New Mexican and Mexican restaurants they make these fruit juice drinks called aguas frescas. They are made with fruit juice thinned with ice and water and a bit of citrus and sugar and they are delicious. Perfect for a hot day, but if you add a bit of rum to the experience you have created a very different animal. Great for a party! This recipe makes 1 gallon.

Ingredients
1 yellow or red watermelon (about 8 pounds), halved, rind and seeds removed, and cut into chunks
3 to 5 limes
1/4 cup to 1/2 cups sugar
ice cubes
white rum (optional)

Procedure
In a blender or food processor puree watermelon in batches. Strain the pulp through a fine mesh sieve into a 2-gallon, wide-mouthed jar. Juice and then quarter 3 limes and add to watermelon puree along with sugar. Stir well. Now add 6 cups water. Taste and make sweeter or tarter as your taste dictates. Now fill up the jar with nice fresh ice cubes. As you serve this to the adults top each glass with a splash of white rum. This also works with mango, guava, strawberry, etc., etc., etc.

Frozen Watermelon Daiquiris

Angela's Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Frozen Watermelon Daiquiris-recipe makes 8

Ingredients
5 tbsp light rum
3 tbsp sour watermelon liqueur (like Pucker)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 cups 3/4 inch cubes seedless watermelon, frozen at least 1 hour
1/2 cup sliced strawberries

Procedure
Stir light rum, sour watermelon liqueur, sugar and fresh lime juice in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Transfer mixture to blender. Add frozen watermelon cubes and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries. Blend Mixture well, then serve.

Last Ditch Drink Recipe

Angela's Refreshing Beverage of the Week

Ingredients
3/4 cup of pureed watermelon-chilled
1 1/2 oz. pepper vodka
1/2 oz. simple syrup

Procedure
Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice, strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a slice of watermelon.