Watermelon Limeade
In my humble little opinion, limeade always trumps lemonade. Always. Why? Well…I’m not exactly sure; maybe it’s the extra kick of sour, or maybe it goes back to the times I used to eat whole limes with my Mom while watching bad daytime television. It was our little secret, because if you tell someone you eat whole limes while watching Jerry Springer, judgement ensues. Trust.
I wasn’t introduced to limeade until I had to go on a grocery run for my best friend’s grandmother, Mimi. She’s a badass of a woman who’s never afraid to speak her mind. She’ll tell you the cheap wine you bought sucks, or that the bread you took too long to bake is as hard as a rock. She also plays beer pong like a fratboy (seriously). Can you tell that I like her…a lot? Mimi’s turning 90 years old in September and she’s demanding a party, and I couldn’t agree more with her.
Since she’s an ardent fan of limeade, I’m suggesting that someone make this pretty drink for her, because the only thing better than limeade is watermelon juice. So why not put them together? Oh and that sprig of rosemary is an additional kick of awesomeness. I got the idea from this place in West Hollywood called Lemonade. Not gonna lie, when I first tried lemonade with rosemary in it I was a little suspect, but it turned out to be dynamite. It’s not too prevalent, just a small hint. This drink is the definition of refreshing. The only thing that might make it better? Vodka. Lots of vodka.
Watermelon Limeade
Yields about 6-8 small glasses
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp of lime zest
1 cup of lime juice (from 7 limes)
1 (3-pound) watermelon, trimmed and cubed (I used a quarter of a 12-pound watermelon)
2 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
Place 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and lime zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir mixture until the sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and add to lime juice and stir.
Grab a colander or sieve and line it with a cheesecloth. Then place it over a medium or large bowl. Dump the lime juice/sugar mixture through the cheesecloth to catch any lime zest.
Purée watermelon cubes in a blender or food processor with 1/2 cup of water. Dump the puree into the cheesecloth and let it drain for 10 minutes.
When all of the watermelon purée has been strained, gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and twist them together to trap the dregs inside. Squeeze the package firmly to expel all the remaining liquid. Add remaining 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Add 2 sprigs of rosemary and cover bowl. Refrigerate for 2 hours to chill.
Serve with lime and rosemary garnish.
I heart everything about this: Colors, combination, and the possibility of turning it into a gentle cocktail with some vodka!
DINNER, DRESSES, DECOR, AND DESSERT
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What a refreshing summer drink. I will have to make this soon!
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This looks amazing. I love watermelon juice and limeade, so I can’t imagine how great they’d taste together!!
I am on a serious summer drink making kick and I think this will have to make it into the rotation.
It looks so refreshing!!!!! I will try this tonight.
XOXO,
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wow! that looks so delicious – great photos
xAZD
Yumm..So good for summer. Will def try this. thanks for sharing
Keep in touch
xx
Sahi
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I’m drooling and puckering at the same time. Is that possible?
This drink looks so refreshing!!! Great summer time drink. = )
I agree on the superiority of limeade! I think most lemonade is over-sweetened and it’s jaded my opinion of the whole lemonade beverage genre. Can’t wait to try this recipe for my next bbq (maybe even an adult version with some prosseco or vodka!)
yummy! i just prefer the word “limeaid” to “lemonade” – the latter is sooooo 1965.
Wow, my mouth is watering just thinking of this! Awesome idea and not ordinary which I love!
What a great recipe! Perfect for sipping on a hot summer day.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Third Floor, Adrianna Adarme. Adrianna Adarme said: fun fact: this watermelon limeade tastes even better with a splash of sparkling water. http://bit.ly/cQNwBF [...]
After further research on this drink, I have determined that you are a genius.
I love limeade…..the bouquet of citrus flavours from lime as compared to other citruses is heaven….love watermelon too
This looks like a really good recipe. it has all the key points colorful, unique, refreshing, and plain amazing. i make lemonade but i just stay with the straight stuff like found…
http://www.best-easy-recipes.com/drinksmadeeasy.html
[...] que existe alguna bebida más refrescante que esta? Limonada de patilla, es realmente algo que nunca me habría imaginado, pero encaja bien porque ambas frutas son muy [...]
[...] que existe alguna bebida más refrescante que esta? Limonada de patilla, es realmente algo que nunca me habría imaginado, pero encaja bien porque ambas frutas son muy [...]
Perfect for the summer. I think I will take your advise add the vodka.
this looks perfect! Beautiful colors and flavors…I love rosemary in lemonades and all kinds of cocktails….I imagine it worked here beautifully
Did Mimi like them???
Thanks I have been looking for a good limeade recipe
http://sevendollarpants.com/
this looks so yummy!
M–Mimi hasn’t had it yet, but I’m trying to convince someone over there to make it for her. It’ll happen!
[...] alguma bebida mais refrescante do que isso? A limonada de melancia é realmente algo que eu nunca poderia ter imaginado, mas ela se encaixa bem porque ambas são [...]
you might want to try turning the limes over when you use that little squeezer gadget. i thought it was used as is shown in your picture until my friend showed me it works much better upside down – kind of turns the fruit inside out and squeezes every last little bit out of it.
Kristina–Thanks for dropping knowledge! That’s a good friggin’ tip.