Favorite Summer Cooler

[Liza]

We recently sampled the house cocktail at Obeca-Li on Thomas Street in NYC, and have swiftly adopted it as OUR house cocktail: honeydew juice with sake. (They add Midori, but with good melons, it's unnecessary). The closest competition in this weather for us would be a minty Mojito. Next to a Friendly's Watermelon Cooler, can anyone top this for summertime refreshment?

[stefanyb]

How exactly do you obtain honeydew juice?  With a juicer?  By mashing and pressing honeydew flesh?  Whats the secret?

[Liza]

With a juicer, though we mashed up some ripe canteloupe in the blender yesterday and it was fine, too. The hard part is lugging home all the melons!

There's a guy at the Santa Fe farmer's market who only sells melons from the back of his flatbed. But that's a lot of melons. His sales pitch is simply to offer a sample.  Works very well.

[Damian]

mid-Winter reply to your summer topic, but for summer coolers try this simple one.  Stoli Oranj with soda and a splash of orange juice.  Garnish with orange.  Much lighter, more refreshing version of the screwdriver....think Orangina.