Childhood summers are way different than adult summers. Duh. I didn't have to tell you that.
When I was ten I went to summer camp up in Big Bear Lake, California and one of the activities was jet-skiing. Back then you could jet ski at ten! That was somehow legal! Wha?! I remember even as I was steering the jet ski, smacking hard waves, thinking in my lil' brain how weird it was, how wrong it felt. Did I object? Of course not.
Also, a few of us girls used put each other in the dryer and turn it on. What were we thinking? I have no idea, but I remember going around and around in the dryer and thinking it was SOOO funny. What a weirdo.
Adult summers are way less cool, though last Friday at 10:30am I drank half of this cocktail. Living on the edge!
This cocktail is refreshing with a capital R. It's like the tastiest thing ever. And look how pretty! I'm obsessed with the pretty green color.
A few weeks ago while I was at my local wine shop, I came across this fancy-ass gin. St. George describes this particular bottle as tasting like "a meadow in bloom--herbaceous, fresh and elegant." Umm...okay! Sure.
It went really well with this refreshing, sweet honeydew melon that was perfectly ripe.
This drank is what you want to be drankin' on a super hot, late-summer evening. Or day. However you roll!
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped honeydew melon from a 1 pound melon and melon balls for ganish
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup water
- Gin of choice I used St. Geroge
- Tonic of choice I looove Fever Tree
- Ice cubes
Garnish:
- Melon balls on skewers
Instructions
- In the jar of a blender, add the honeydew melon, organic cane sugar and water. Blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Place a sieve over a bowl. Pour the honeydew puree into the sieve and discard the pulp. Note: Now, I found that the mixture was still a little thick so I decided to strain it one more time. If you have a cheesecloth, you'll only need to strain it once (I didn't have one).
- Add a few ice cubes to each of the four glasses. Pour in three fluid ounces of honeydew juice to each glass; top with one to two fluid ounces of gin (this will depend on taste) and add a splash of tonic. Garnish the drink with a skewer of melon balls.
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
You put people in the dryer?! Hahaha omg I can't even, so funny, and slightly disturbing at the same time.
mimi says
Thank you for not putting thyme in the cocktail. It's absolutely perfect!
Adrianna Adarme says
HAHA! What's wrong with thyme?
mimi says
I'm sick of seeing it in cocktails. That's all! I love cooking with it.....
St. George Spirits says
Thanks for featuring our "fancy-ass gin" in this recipe! We make three very different expressions of gin (Terroir and Dry Rye Gin are the other two), but agree that Botanivore is the perfect choice for a G&T. Cheers!
Adrianna Adarme says
HA! This is awesome that you commented. The terroir and dry rye gin are going to be my next purchases. Your gin is so awesome. Thanks!
St. George Spirits says
What's really awesome is that YOU experimented and made something new (and totally delicious-looking) with Botanivore. It makes us really happy when people find their own ways to enjoy our spirits! We hope you will also love our Terroir Gin and Dry Rye Gin and that you'll let us know what you end up making with them, too.
Maggie says
Ah. I've been off your blog for a couple months, left my california roots for a big girl job in the South. This was the perfect welcome back for me haha. Thanks Adriana!
We were all weird kids.
Michelle @ Fed Up and Drunk says
This is the ideal summer drink! Love the fancy label on the gin bottle.
Trisha says
Looks so delicious - cool idea! Thanks for sharing! x
autumn says
The description of the fancy ass gin totally made me laugh... and want to drink it. Love these flavors together!
Steve says
That looks fabulous! I just made my second batch of tonic water, and I want to try it with this. I like Fever Tree too, but making it is easy, once you source the cinchona bark, and it's cheap too. I've doubled the cinchona bark measure to give a snappier tonic, and I've dialed the sweetness back.
http://www.thedailymeal.com/video/related/1362
Adrianna Adarme says
Whoa this is rad. I totally want to do this now.
Steve says
Go for it! It's fun and tasty. Below is where I found cinchona bark powder.
http://www.herbaladvantage.com/
cindy says
we're gin-drink twinsies today! and, I totally have a thing for melon balls, that's like a polka-dot garnish! Also, love those glasses! I want me summa that gin...sounds amazing! At summer camp, I used to unscrew all the shower heads, load them with Cherry Kool-Aid and screw them back on...deviant!
niki says
Ahhh! St. George's is my favorite favorite gin. I use the "Terrior" type of gin, it tastes like honeysuckle! Impossible to drink other gins after this one. Can't wait to try it with some melon!
Adrianna Adarme says
Agreed!
St. George Spirits says
Wow, thank you! Our Terroir Gin is truly a one-of-a-kind spirit—and it makes us so happy to hear you love it so much!
Kelsey @aslolife says
Gin and tonics are my perfect summer drink--Fever Tree tonic far is my obsession too! They don't have it here, but I can't wait till I get to Whole Foods or World Market and can stock up.
Cookin Canuck says
Some of your summer camp memories sound similar to mine. What were we thinking?! I'm not a big fan of traditional gin and tonics, but this melon version is definitely something I can get behind!
Jamie @lifelovelemons says
How pretty! Love this green color!
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
The melon sticks are so creative! and adds to the cuteness (if you could ever call a gin and tonic cute). I am 21 and only getting out of my adventurer stage... even things I done two months back I go WHAT? I did that?!
little t says
Woah, I am afraid to get on a jet ski now, at 27.
This sounds so good. I heart gin.