Watermelon Lemonade

Georgia Grown

Enjoy this refreshing summer treat that can also be used as a base for cocktails or non-alcoholic spritzer with a bit of seltzer added.

Makes 1 quart of lemonade, 3-4 servings

What you’ll need:

  • 3 cups diced watermelon, in half-inch pieces.
  • ½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, from 3-4 lemons
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • ¼ cup of water
  • 1 cup of ice cubes

Directions

  1. Place watermelon in a blender and puree until smooth. Let puree settle for about 5 minutes until the pulp rises to the top and the clearer juice remains at the bottom. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer, and rub with a spoon to extract juice from the pulp, leaving about 2 teaspoons of pulp behind.
  2. Place ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. When sugar is completely dissolved, turn off the heat. Add sugar syrup, lemon juice, and 1 cup ice to strained watermelon puree, and stir to melt ice. Taste and check for the balance of lemon juice to sugar, and adjust if necessary.
  3. For minty watermelon lemonade, rub 2 sprigs of mint in between your palms until bruised and very fragrant. Add to lemonade.
  4. Serve over ice with lemon slices and watermelon triangles.

AHHH! REFRESHING!