Vodka watermelon

[Kent Wang]

If you're not familiar, a popular use of the watermelon around these parts is to to carve a whole in the melon and stick a bottle of vodka in it and let the liquor infuse the entire melon. It takes about a day or two, then you crack it open and chow down and get wasted.

Or so I've been told. I've never actually had one and the few times I tried to do it myself, the vodka never distributed throughout the watermelon. I gave up on trying when I decided I don't even like vodka in my watermelon. I put some watermelon in a blender and added vodka and found the combination revolting. Not nearly as good as, say, a strawberry daiquiri.

[Peter Green]

When we were in university we'd do this, but we'd use everclear rather than vodka. This did have the desired effect, but I can't say the flavour did a lot for me.

Paul Pairet did something of this sort at Jade on 36 in Shanghai when we were there a few weeks back. But rather than vodka, he'd infused the watermelon with a sweeter liqueur (can't remember which just now), and then froze it on a stick, harkening back to the old summer days. That did work very well.

[insomniac]

we used to add sliced ginger, let it sit overnight and eat it after dinner to pretend it was dessert

[Kent Wang]

Funny that the Cocktail forum posters keep such strange hours.

[michael_g]

If you're not familiar, a popular use of the watermelon around these parts is to to carve a whole in the melon and stick a bottle of vodka in it and let the liquor infuse the entire melon. It takes about a day or two, then you crack it open and chow down and get wasted.

Or so I've been told. I've never actually had one and the few times I tried to do it myself, the vodka never distributed throughout the watermelon. I gave up on trying when I decided I don't even like vodka in my watermelon. I put some watermelon in a blender and added vodka and found the combination revolting. Not nearly as good as, say, a strawberry daiquiri.

←

We discussed the "vodka watermelon" briefly after, on a whim, putting cubes of watermelon in G&Ts. Frankly, the latter is delicious: we used Tanqueray. Part of what made it so good was the succulent sweetness of the watermelon, but the bubbles of the tonic and the aromatics in the gin definitely brought something to the table.

[alacarte]

I'm having college flashbacks....

I remember two techniques on this one:

Brute Force technique: cut away a small part of the watermelon rind from each end of the fruit; pour a bottle of vodka in each end and replace the rind. Refrigerate overnight.

Delicate technique: Use syringes full of vodka to pierce the rind and infuse the watermelon all over. It takes a long time and you need to take care not to break the syringe needles in the rind, but it provides a more dispersed effect.

[DCP]

As I've been told by a few self-proclaimed experts, the key is to make sure to allow enough time to infuse: an afternoon or overnight is not enough. The bottle may be empty, but you'll be left with a sweet interior and nearly inedible outer flesh. A funnel and some patience is suggested by some, but I've only ever discussed the full-bottle method.

[Rebecca263]

Rum in a watermelon is much better. Throw some mint leaves in the glasses, it's delicious that way, very refreshing! I'm not much for vodka, though, unless it's for infusions.

[KatieLoeb]

In my former days of inebriate youth we'd use the syringe method on oranges for portable screwdrivers.

I agree that rum is tastier infused into the watermelon. Now there are so many flavored rums you can get pretty creative with your flavor combinations. I think Mango rum in a watermelon might be pretty tasty.

[cdh]

[We discussed the "vodka watermelon" briefly after, on a whim, putting cubes of watermelon in G&Ts.  Frankly, the latter is delicious: we used Tanqueray. 

←

Excellent call... frozen watermelon cubes make a great substitute for ice cubes.

[eje]

Not really the same; but, one of the drinks I've been made for what seems like forever* is called the Sunburnt Senorita. It's from the Coyote Cafe Cookbook.

Puree and sieve a bunch of watermelon flesh and chill.

1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar (or not depending on watermelon)

1/2 oz lime juice

1/3 cup watermelon juice

1 1/2 oz tequila

Shake with ice and strain.

A lot of times I'll add more watermelon juice and a little more tequila and build it over ice in a collins glass. Really refreshing.

Had a similar drink the other day courtesy of Victoria Damato-Moran.

She was calling it a Watermelon Smash.

Muddle Watermelon, simple, and cayenne syrup (I think). Add ice, lime, tequila.

Shake and strain.

It wasn't super picante; but, the touch of heat and flavor of the cayenne really highlights the flavor of the watermelon.

*checked the book, and I got the Coyote Cafe Cookbook from my Mom in 1992! That is pretty much forever, eh? Time tested recipe.

Edited June 23, 2007 by eje (log)