Watermelon-Thyme Cooler
Soak Up Summer with This Refreshing Cooler
There is something about a slice of iced cold watermelon that makes me feel like a kid again. Is there any fruit more refreshing on a hot summer day? I recently took a trip to the Western North Carolina Farmer’s Market in Asheville and this Georgia grown seedless watermelon practically jumped in to my arms. So much better than buying a melon at the grocery store, this beauty was bought sun-kissed warm from the grower and cost me five dollars. For the record, it is the best five dollars that I have spent in a long long time. This melon is so red and juicy that just slicing it sent the effervescence of summer into the air. This scent may be fine for starters but I’ve got a date with an Adirondack chair and some summer shade so let’s make an icy cold watermelon cocktail.
Watermelon-Thyme Cooler
You will need…
2 cups watermelon juice (see making how to produce juice below)
1/4 cup thyme simple syrup (see below for recipe!)
fresh thyme
Dash of fine salt
splash of Sprite Zero or club soda
Cocktail Shaker with ice
How to Produce Watermelon Juice- Easy Peasy!
The first great step to any recipe is finding the best ingredients possible! Although I went to the farmer’s market, you can find yours at the grocery story, fruit stand or farmer. The secret is selecting a nice ripe juicy one and sometimes this process can be a stressful as being on a diet at Christmas time!!! The internet is FULL of selection advice that can spin your head and drive you crazy in the process. This is what I look for…
A nice yellow field spot where the watermelon sat on the ground to ripen. If it is white it didn’t sit there very long. A creamy or deeper color yellow means that the fruit ripened in the field.
Choose heavy for the size. If the watermelon feel heavy for the size it will prove to be juicy when cutting
I don’t thump - Lol! I have tried to thump and all I get are strange looks in the supermarket and no confirming sounds (that is even if I really understood the sound that I was looking for!! Its’ just me - but I don’t thump! If you have thumping skills then go for it!
Making Juice:
Place your watermelon on a large cutting board with a wet paper towel underneath to prevent it from moving. Place this on a stable solid surface which is slightly below you. If you are tall and your countertop feels like the right height then you are green lighted for proceeding. Take a large kitchen knife and carefully plunge and slice your watermelon open. Next…
Scoop out the watermelon “meat” and remove the seeds.
Place the “meat” in a food processor and reserve any juice on the cutting board.
Power the food processor until the mixture is pulp.
Remove the contents of the food processor and place in a strainer over a bowl.
Press the pulp and continue to let the contents drip.
Toss pulp and refrigerate the juice!! Yay!
SUPER TIP ALERT: Your juice may appear slightly cloudy while it settles. No worries!
Making Thyme Simple Syrup!
Simple Syrup is simple equal parts of fine granulated sugar and water brought to a boil and cooled. This recipe allows for extra simple syrup for future use.
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
3 springs of fresh thyme (and yes, you need fresh)
Directions:
Place sugar and water in a sauce pan over medium to high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
While you are waiting for your ingredients to come to a boil, crush up the fresh thyme in your hand. This will help to release the oils from the thyme.
Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Do not continue to boil. remove from heat.
Add crushed up thyme to the pot and briefly stir and stir occasionally after that.
Allow to the flavor to infuse and allow mixture to cool. Remove thyme.
Refrigerate for future use.
SUPER TIP ALERT - Make a head and have some darn patience! Enough said.
It’s Cooler Making Time!
Pour 2 cups of fresh watermelon juice in a large cocktail shaker with ice.
Pour in 1/4 cup of fresh thyme simple syrup.
Add a dash of fine salt
Put the lid on the shaker and shake!!!! A good bartender knows that shaking is an art so strive for what will look like fine broken shard of ice in your glass.
Pour the cooler in your glass. Top with a splash of coke zero and a spring of thyme and a slice of watermelon. A splash of Vodka is optional.
Find your favorite lawn chair, gather your favorite people and enjoy!
