Spice Up Your Summer with a Watermelon Paloma

Does anything conjure memories of summertime more than a ripe watermelon? This iconic summer garden fruit is synonymous with backyard barbecues and lazy days by the pool.

Watermelon’s light profile and subtle sweetness is a perfect pairing for the agave freshness of tequila, so when your own garden melons have hit peak ripeness, we recommend putting them to use in our refreshing Paloma riff.

Learn how to grow your own watermelons right here!

This recipe is given a little extra kick with the use of two more summer garden staples: jalapeño and cilantro.

Your freshly harvested watermelon can be juiced in a juicer or blended and strained through a fine mesh strainer. The jalapeño and cilantro are incorporated via a super easy 10-minute simple syrup recipe!

Yields: 1 serving

Prep Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 oz.

  blanco tequila

• 1 oz.

  fresh watermelon juice, plus a small watermelon wedge, for garnish

• 3/4 oz.

  cilantro-jalapeño syrup (recipe following)

• 1/2 oz.

  fresh lime juice

• Pinch of salt

• Soda water

Directions

1. Combine tequila, watermelon juice, syrup, lime juice, salt, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled, 10 to 15 seconds

2. Strain into a large rocks glass. Top with ice and seltzer. Garnish with a small watermelon wedge.

For Cilantro-Jalapeño Syrup:

1. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1 quartered jalapeño, a handful of roughly chopped fresh cilantro, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Chill in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (Makes about 3/4 cup.)

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