This Girl Cooks

I just purchased some watermelon from the store and it’s delicious! I don’t think it’s quite in season here in Massachusetts. But it’s in season somewhere close. During my walk today I started to think about how I wanted to eat a slice. And then I realized that watermelon is a perfect compliment to pomegranate juice and oh ya, why not throw in some rum and turn it into a cocktail?

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped watermelon flesh, seeds removed

1 cup pomegranate juice

3 shots white rum (you can substitute tequila for something different)

1/2 cup ice (you can use 1/2 cup frozen strawberries instead if you want)

Fresh mint leaves for a garnish

Instructions:

Add watermelon, pomegranate juice, rum, and ice cubes (or frozen strawberries) to a blender. Cover and blend until mixture is smooth and all the ingredients are well incorporated. Pour into glasses and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serves 2.

You can freeze the glasses until they are frosty. This will keep the drink extra cold. You can also make this in larger batches if you’re serving it to a crowd.

Plain iced tea is fine, but sometimes I want something with a little more pizazz. The delicate taste of peach adds a sweet flavor while the ginger gives it a zing. You can use either green tea or black tea. I prefer black tea.  You’ll need a quart sized pitcher for this recipe. If you have a larger pitcher just double the recipe.

• 4 cups boiling water
• 4 tea bags
• 1 ripe peach
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced

Slice the peach down the middle and remove the pit. Cut the peach into quarters and add to the pitcher. Sprinkle the peaches with the ginger, add the teabags, and pour the boiling water over it. Let it steep for around ten minutes and then remove them. You can leave the peach and the ginger in. Serve chilled and garnish with fresh mint lives or candied ginger.