Watermelon Aqua Fresca

late summer refreshment

The county and state fairs, along with their watermelon eating contests and tractor pulls, are now behind us here in the Northeast, but those gigantic watermelons that scream “summer” are still readily available. Aqua Fresca, a fruit drink popular in Mexico that combines melon, water, lime and a touch of sugar, is a perfect hot weather drink that is as pretty as it is refreshing. It’s simple to prepare, especially if you have seedless watermelon, and pairs nicely with a splash of vodka.

I first came across Aqua Fresca in the cookbook Food Iq by Daniel Holzmann and Matt Rodbard. Food Iq resembles a middle school text book thanks to its format, heft when you pick it up, and the abundant use of amusing illustrations by Miguel Villalobos. However, beneath that description lies a wealth of information about food and cooking, as well as a wide range of recipes. 

The authors pose and answer questions for those of us who ended their formal culinary training with a home economics class in junior high. I zeroed in on “What’s the difference between Parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino romano?” Parmigiano Reggiano is made from raw cow’s milk, has no preservatives and is aged for at least one year. It should be enjoyed on its own, perhaps with a glass of wine, not grated over pasta.  Grana padana, a less expensive cheese, is the authors’ recommended choice to top your pasta, dishes from northern Italy, or a Caesar salad.  Pecorino romano is made from sheep’s milk, is aged for five to eight months and has a high salt content. It pairs best with the dishes of central and southern Italy that have fewer ingredients, such as spaghetti alla carbonara.

The Aqua Fresca in Food Iq calls for sugar and for the drink to be strained after blending, I didn’t find either to be necessary.  Most recipes that I looked into did call for a sweetener, some suggested maple syrup, so follow your sweet tooth. I added grated ginger root to add a bit of zip.

Ingredients

4 cups of seedless watermelon

1 lime

2 t. finely grated fresh ginger (optional)

1 cup of water or seltzer

Directions

Place watermelon and ginger in the blender.  Add the juice from one lime. Blend well. Pour into a pitcher and add one cup of water or seltzer.  Serve immediately over ice or store in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Makes about 5 cups.

Thanks for reading!

Vicki