By now, you may have become acquaninted with the bright and sunny Aperol spritz, a bubbly orange import from Italy. The light drink has enjoyed serious success in recent memory and it’s not hard to understand why. When mixed right, this drink is a perfect blend of bitter and sweet. A delicious refreshment on hot summer days. Nevertheless, it’s high time to give this classic a new twist. For example, in the form of our watermelon spritz. Which is dare we say it, a mellower drink bound to pair perfectly with even the hottes of days.
Watermelon Spritz: Fruity, Fresh & Delicious
I’m personally a big fan of Aperol Spritz, and I’m also very happy that there are more and more non-alcoholic alternatives that come close to the bitter Aperol. Nevertheless, I understand anyone who can’t quite get used to the drink’s signature bitterness that will make anyone pucker, if only even a little. For those who like it milder and sweeter too, look no further than our watermelon spritz.
Here, two things come together in the glass that, on their own, already stand for summer: bitter Aperol and fruity watermelon. In the summer months, the two simply belong together, so it was really only a matter of time before they were combined in a glass to create something delicious and new.
The fresh, juicy sweet watermelon not only provides a great visual appearance in the glass with its bright red juice. Its tropical fruity taste harmonizes ideally with the slightly bitter aperitif and rounds it off wonderfully. It reigns it in, so to say. It covers its bitterness in just the right amount so that enough the drink keeps its iconic taste, while still having a bit of a softer edge.
Of course, the Prosecco shouldn’t be missing here, and the sparkling water provides exactly the right amount of fizz that such a summer drink needs. Fresh mint leaves, lime juice and garnishes will add an even more summery flourish to the whole thing. In a few simple steps, you will be rewarded with a well-balanced thirst-quenching cocktail that is just the thing after a hot day. Try it out right away and enjoy. Cheers!
If you’re looking to get your grill on, you’ve found kindred spirits over here at Scrumdiddlyumptious. That’s why we’ve developed so many recipes for your summer shindigs! Check out such greats like our green margarita, homemade herb baguettes, and our chicken-apple skewers.
Watermelon Spritz Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 lb watermelon
- ⅔ cup Aperol or similar aperitif
- 1¼ cups cold Prosecco
- ½ cup sparkling water
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves
- 1 organic lime
- 10-12 ice cubes
Instructions
- Remove the rind and cut the watermelon into small pieces. Using a blender, finely puree the melon. Then, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining pulp.
- Now, mix the watermelon juice with the Aperol, Prosecco, and sparkling water. Combine well, but carefull not to shake/stir too vigorously. Otherwise the drink may go flat.
- Wash the mint leaves and shake them dry. Halve the lime and cut one of the halves into slices.
- Divide the ice cubes among four glasses and pour the cocktail evenly over them. Garnish with mint leaves, lime slices, and drizzle some juice from the other lime half into each glass.