Summer Drink Series: Watermelon-Basil Gin Refresher
Hello Darlings!
I am beyond excited about the Fourth of July. I love the holiday- with its fireworks, themed picnics at which it is totally acceptable to eat every red, white, and blue food there is, and celebrations of being free, it is just so very American. So, to express my excitement, I will be blogging every day up until the Fourth, I can’t believe it is next week! Make sure to follow along for some stars and stripes themed fun!
Watermelon to me is one of those foods that is just quintessentially Fourth of July, so I knew I wanted to use it in a drink recipe to kick off the week! While browsing one of the blogs I follow, I came across a picture of a watermelon-basil salad, and my first thought was that sounds SO refreshing! So of course, the next logical step was to mash it up and serve it as a drink, totally normal.
Ingredients:
1 Cup Cubed Watermelon
2 Large, Fresh Basil Leaves, Chopped
3 1.5 Ounces Gin (One Shot, I Used Tanqueray)
6 Ounces Seltzer Water (Half a Can)
Ice
Instructions:
1. Chop basil and cube watermelon. If your watermelon has seeds, make sure to remove the black ones!
2. Add watermelon and basil to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until the mixture is mostly liquid.
3. Add the shot of gin and 6 ounces of seltzer to the shaker, then fill the remainder with ice and shake vigorously.
4. Pour mixture into your glass through a strainer to keep out any chunks of watermelon, basil leaves, and seeds from getting into your drink.
5. Garnish with a slice of lime and a slice of watermelon, add ice (mine is in the shape of stars made in a tray from Ikea!)
6. Enjoy!
What is your favorite refreshing summer drink? Let me know in the comments below!
Oh my…this sounds AH-MAZING! love this!!! I am also a HUGE fourth of July fan. We are actually attending a wedding this year on the 4th – completely patriotic themed, should be fun!!
Oh and really – the star ice cubes – you are too much!!
You had me at gin. I can honestly say I've never had a watermelon drink – which is weird, we go through probably a half-ton of the fruit every summer around here!! My basil plant is perfect right now, too. It might be time for a cocktail!
yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm xx
http://www.vicariousLA.com
I would love one now! Very refreshing with the combo of watermelon and basil.
I love it
Another earth pink
Yum yum yum! I just had a drink just like this out last night, it was DELICIOUS! I always love gin in the summer.Do you mind if I post a link to your blog in my next cocktail recipe (next monday/tuesday), so my readers can hop over here and check out your delicious cocktails as well?I'd love to collaborate on a cocktail post sometime too if you'd be interested. We could guest post on each other blogs, or I'm going to be a posting a How To infuse your own vodka tutorial, maybe you could concoct a delicious cocktail to make with it?If you'd be interested in doing this e-mail me :)Love your blog!Kallie, But First Coffee Blog OR But First Coffee on Bloglovin
There a ton a fun stuff going on here.. How cute are those ice cubes.. We can see you are ready for the 4th!!!
I'm a big fan of those ice cubes too!
The cocktail looks so good! Will definitely try this recipe, and it's made with ingredients I usually have around in the summer. Gin included!
Thanks for linking up to the Weekend Block Party giveaway! <3 This recipe. Adding this to my Pinterest!
Hi, found you from the Weekend re-Treat link party! I love this idea…gin is my go-to alcohol for cocktails so I am definitely going to try this! Pinning to my new group board I just created called Cocktail Concoctions!! 🙂 (If you would like an invite to post to that board in the future, just let me know!)
Also, I am co-hosting Tasty Tuesdays this week…would love for you to stop by if you get a chance! http://www.dizzybusyandhungry.com/2013/07/09/tasty-tuesdays-link-party-3/ Hope to see you there!