What could exemplify summer more than watermelon? Add it to your drink menu and bam, you have summer
in a glass. What could make the watermelon even better than adding in some lemonade to give your drink a little
bit of tart to match the sweet? With the addition of basil this drink is simple to make and delicious to enjoy.
Basil is by far one of my favorite summer herbs and there are so many flavors to choose from. We typically
grow three different varieties, traditional basil, purple basil and lemon basil. For this drink we are going to use
both traditional and purple basil to make the simple syrup. Give the basil a rough chop before making the syrup
to help release the flavors even more into your syrup.
Watermelon Basil Lemonade
¼ cup basil simple syrup
3 large lemons, just the inside flesh
4 cups watermelon cubed
1 cup water
Basil to garnish
To make the basil simple syrup take one cup of water and add in one cup of sugar with another cup of chopped
basil leaves. You should have just about one cup of liquid left after cooking. Store any extra in an airtight
container in the fridge. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Then remove it from the heat. Once cooled, strain
the basil leaves out and transfer to an airtight container. Peel the lemons and cut into smaller pieces. Cube up 4
cups of watermelon. Combine the ingredients In the blender, along with 1 cup of water. Blend everything
together for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh to create a smooth drink. Store in the refrigerator, and stir
before serving. Garnish with lemon and basil.
As you can see in this recipe this month we do not have any alcohol. The water can easily be replaced by
gin or vodka to give your drink a punch. This is the perfect mixer for any 4th of July party, to enjoy by the pool,
or gathered around the night sky to watch fireworks with friends and family. Keep it a mocktail, for everyone to
enjoy, or go out on a limb and make two batches, since we know those melons are pretty big, and make an over
21 batch along with your mocktail.
If you want your drink to be a little sweeter, feel free to add in more simple syrup to your desired sweetness
level. Over here we prefer our drinks to be more on the tart side so ¼ cup works just great. Plus I like for the
flavor and sweetness of the melon to speak out in the drink as well. Mix it up and try out different ways to make
this drink your new favorite.
We hope you enjoyed this mocktail, summer recipe, or as a cocktail. Let us know if you decide to make
one for your event or just because. This will keep in your fridge for about 3-5 days, depending on the container.
Please remember to drink responsibly and always have a designated driver. Cheers!
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