Spiked Watermelon Lemon and Limeade

I apologize for the lack of recipes lately, I seem to have fallen off the blogging bandwagon.  I blame the 4th of July, the daily world cup games and having to watch Annie Hall on my computer because my roommate had never seen it before.  Though roommates are not always good for posting promptly, they do offer great company for Saturday evening cocktails.  This weekend Liz and I diverged from our favorite summer drink, the G & T, to make something a little more festive.  I had seen a recipe for watermelon lemonade on The Smitten Kitchen, and thought it would fantastic as a cocktail base.  I love limes, so I decided to make a lime version as well.

The only somewhat difficult part of the recipe was squeezing all the lemon and lime juice, but its worth the taste of fresh citrus.  The watermelon can be quickly pureed in the blender.  I made the juices ahead of time and kept them in the fridge.  When ready to serve, I filled a glass with ice, added 1.5 ounces of vodka, and filled the rest with the lemon or limeade (or a mix of both).


The result?  A delicious light summer cocktail.  Though slightly reminiscent of the vodka and crystal light lemonades we used to make in college, these had far fresher flavors and none of the overwhelming sweetness.  We sipped them as the humidity of the week finally lifted and a breeze blew in.  We turned on some music and started to get ready to go out, giddy with the feeling that only comes in anticipation of the endless possibilities of a summer night.

Spiked Watermelon Lemon and Limeade
Adapted from the Smitten Kitchen

1 c. fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice (or a combination)
2 c. fresh watermelon puree, strained
3/4 c. simple syrup
3 c. cold water
Vodka
Ice.

1. Combine the first four ingredients in a pitcher.  Chill.

2. Fill a glass with ice.  Pour in 1.5 ounces of vodka and fill with lemon or limeade.

Makes 1 pitcher of juice, enough for 6-8 cocktails.