When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. But what about when life hands you watermelons? Is watermelonade a thing?
Summertime is made for juicy watermelon slices and sticky fingers. But let’s be real: there is nothing better than sipping on a cool drink and breathing in a warm summer breeze. So instead of watermelonade, I blended fresh watermelon chunks with ice and alcohol. It was a great life choice.
And luckily for us, with the Fourth of July just around the corner, drinking said alcohol is totally acceptable. Party down, people.
This slushie is the perfect drink this weekend. Not only does it look suitably patriotic, it is also so delicious that you’ll want to be sipping these babies all summer long – with or without the alcohol. The watermelon/blueberry/basil combo is a knock-out, and I could drink it all day. All. Damn. Day.
This drink comes together easily: a quick blueberry sauce is cooked, strained, and cooled, then poured into the bottom of your favorite beverage receptacle and topped with watermelon slush.
If you’re not a fan of gin you can use vodka instead, the taste of which is more easily masked by the other flavors. You do you, friend.
Blueberry Watermelon Gin Slushie
By L.
Serves 2
1 cup blueberries
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon water
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups cut watermelon
3 cups of ice
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 oz gin (I used Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz (2 Tablespoons) Grand Marnier
3 basil leaves
Put two glasses in the freezer to chill.
Make the quick blueberry sauce: heat the blueberries, sugar, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the blueberries break down a bit and the sauce thickens. Strain through a mesh sieve and set aside to cool.
Blend the watermelon, ice, lemon juice, gin, and basil on high until just combined. It should be thick and slushy – if you want it even slushier, add more ice.
Take out each chilled glass and spoon half the blueberry puree jam into the bottom, rubbing it around the bottom sides as you go. Pour in the watermelon slush. Serve with more blueberries and basil and a straw for slurping.
Happy Fourth!