When I published this slushy watermelon drink recipe in the Food section of the Washington Post, it was because I really liked it. Turns out I wasn’t the only one. Next thing I knew, it had been selected for the cookbook The Best American Recipes 2004-2005: The year’s top picks from books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Now you’ve got to try it, right?
Ingredients:
Serves 2
Note 1: The recipe’s a simple one, but you have to plan far enough ahead to have frozen watermelon pieces ready.
Note 2: Add either rum or vodka if you want the drink to be alcoholic.
3 cups chopped, seeded, watermelon, rind removed
2-4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, to taste
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more to taste
½ cup Jamaican-style or other gingery ginger ale
Preparation:
Place the watermelon pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover and freeze until solid, at least 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and set aside at room temperature to soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. In a blender, combine the lime-sugar mixture and the ginger ale. With the motor running, slowly add the watermelon, a few pieces at a time (you might need to do this in batches). until the mixture turns to slush. Taste and adjust the amount of lime juice and/or sugar as desired. Serve immediately.
Recipe tested by Ellen Ficklen; email questions to hello@watermelontimes.com