colorful summer cocktails

watermelon margaritas

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

3 wide strips orange zest

12 ounces watermelon cubes

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3/4 cup white or silver tequila

lime wedges

1. in a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and orange zest. bring to a boil. then reduce to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves. let the syrup cool. 

2. in a blender, puree watermelon and then strain through a fine-mesh sieve

3. stir in syrup, lime juice, and tequila

4. garnish with lime wedges

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vodka thyme lemonade

2 cups sugar

12 springs fresh thyme

4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 cups vodka

1. in a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and thyme. boil until sugar has melted. remove from heat and let cool

2. pour mixture through a fine sieve. throw out thyme

3. stir together lemon juice, vodka, and chilled syrup

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honeydew fizz

1/2 cup large honeydew melon

1/2 cup midori 

1 cup seltzer water, chilled

1. using a melon baller, scoop out 10 balls of honeydew. place in a large plastic container. pour midori over the melon balls. place in freezer and let macerate for an hour

2. place remaining honeydew in a blender and puree until smooth. let stand until juice settles to bottom of blender. measure 1/2 cup juice

3. remove honeydew ball mixture from freezer. stir in juice and seltzer

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