Watermelon Mojitos! If summer had an official drink, this would be it: Sweet watermelon muddled with fresh mint leaves, lime juice and rum! It's the perfect cocktail for poolside gatherings or summer parties -- make a couple for an at-home "happy hour" or mix up a pitcher for a crowd!
Ask {on social media} and you shall receive. That's how the saying goes, right?
A few weeks ago {on National Mojito Day, to be exact.} I outed myself on Instagram as a horrible mixologist. It's puzzling to me that I have no problem putting together a recipe or identifying harmonious flavor profiles, and yet, when it comes to mixing a cocktail, I fall incredibly flat. {Which is 95% of the reason why I stick to wine and straight bourbon when I'm left to my own devices.}
I have some sort of bartender's block when faced with the myriad of potential cocktail combinations. And it's about time that changes!
So, like I said, I put out an SOS on Instagram, and lo and behold, a follower reached out to tell me that her husband would be happy to help me out with my issues with cocktail development. {Super essential life skill, by the way.}
As if the kind gesture wasn't cool enough, it gets even better: It turns out her husband isn't just an average Joe with a knack for knocking 'em back; cocktail culture is in his blood. His grandfather was responsible for creating the famed drinks at Mai Kai, a South Florida landmark since 1956. {It's such a fun spot to visit! Please do yourself a favor and go, or at the very least, read this article about "the Godfather of Polynesian grog", as one article calls him.} Clearly, I couldn't turn down the offer of assistance.
Since I knew I'd be posting something around the time of "National Watermelon Day", I asked if he could help me come up with something light and summery featuring the season's most iconic fruit. And just like that, he sent over an off-the-cuff, summer-fied version of one of my favorite cocktails {when it's done right}: The Watermelon Mojito.
This cocktail is everything you want in a summer beverage. It's light, refreshing and cooling. Like a blast of A/C for your taste buds. Plus, THAT COLOR. Think they can match a nail polish to a cocktail? Because I'd be down to rock that all summer long.
The ingredients are pretty straightforward: Watermelon, mint, rum and a squeeze of lime, sweetened with a dash {or a glug, depending on how sweet you like your drinks} of light agave nectar or simple syrup and a splash of fizzy club soda. Though there's "muddling" involved, don't let that deter you from giving it a go -- you'll just want to smoosh things together a bit to let the mint release its oil and lend that little bit of refreshing flavor to the mix, nothing too crazy. The frozen blueberries are completely optional, but I like how they act as "ice cubes" and give a touch of color that reminds me of the dark seeds in a typical watermelon.
I can imagine serving these up poolside, sunnies on and feet kicked up. They're a delicious little bevvy to serve up at a tropical-themed party or an easy way to brighten up an at-home happy hour.
{PSA: I'm collaborating on a fun little Instagram giveaway with my friend Kelly of The Details that is the perfect pairing for this recipe -- a watermelon koozie & a custom monogrammed baseball cap! Make sure to head over and enter!}
I'm so glad I confessed to my libation limitations out loud, because otherwise I wouldn't have whipped up this cocktail with confidence. {Thanks so much for the recipe and inspiration, Jodi and Tony!}
Now get thee a muddler {although you can totally use the end of a wooden spoon}, and up your cocktail game before the summer ends. Cheers!
Watermelon Mojitos
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced seedless watermelon
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves
- ¼ to ½ ounce light agave nectar or simple syrup {depending on how sweet you prefer your drinks}
- Juice from ¼ lime wedge
- 1 ½ ounces silver {white} rum
- Splash of club soda
- Optional: Frozen Blueberries for color
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass, muddle together the watermelon, mint, agave, lime juice and rum to release some of the juice and mint essence.
- Add enough ice to fill the glass, then top with club soda and a few frozen blueberriesand extra watermelon chunks if desired. Garnish with mint.
I love it. Thanks for sharing. This was my own concoction, but I have so much more from the “vault” that I’d like to dive into. Let’s do this again!
Tony Licudine