I know it's fall but we still enjoy a fancy cucumber melon soda! A refreshing and tasty beverage for a hot day or an enjoyable mocktail.
MOOD MUSIC
SODA INGREDIENTS
- Honeydew Melon
- Cucumbers
- Limes
- Basil
- Sugar
- Club Soda
SODA INSTRUCTIONS
Remove seeds from both melon and cucumbers. Chop the fruit roughly and add to a blender along with basil and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture into a large bowl and chill immediately for 30 minutes to an hour.
Add lime juice and sugar to the mixture stirring well. Adjust sweetness levels to your liking. Keep in mind the addition of club soda will actually dilute the flavor some depending on how much you add.
Fill a tall glass with equal parts club soda and cucumber-melon mixture. Garnish with more basil.
MAKING MELON SODA CONSIDERATIONS
For change-ups you can infuse the soda with different herbs and citrus zest.
Quality ingredients is key to this dish. Choose ripe melons and freshest cucumbers. This is not a dish where you buy cucumbers and then leave in the fridge 4 or 5 days before using.
Given the thickness of the melon-cucumber puree the club soda offers two benefits - it helps to thin out the drink as well as provide that sparkling effervescence element that adds a fun factor. Finishing with basil leaves you with a refreshing, sparkling soda with both floral and herbal notes. The lime juice helps to bring out the dull flavor from both the cucumber and melon.
Besides using quality ingredients, it's important to strike a balance between the cucumber and melon. It's this balance that makes the soda work. Balance in this instance literally means using equal parts of each of the two main ingredients.
This recipe can easily be converted into a tasty cocktail. Gin, vokda, and cachaca (Brazilian rum) blend well without disturbing the character of the drink. Think gin/vodka tonic but elevated.
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Ingredients
- ½ lb. ripe melon honeydew, musk or similar with white to green flesh, peeled, seeded, chopped into chunks
- ½ lb. cucumbers peeled, seeded, and chopped into chunks
- Juice from 3 medium limes
- 2 large whole basil leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoon of sugar or equivalent honey
- Club Soda
Instructions
- Combine cucumber and melon in blender with basil and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture into a large bowl and chill immediately for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Add lime juice, sugar/honey to the mixture and stir well. Adjust sweetness as needed. Keep in mind the addition of the club soda will dilute the flavor some depending on how much soda you use.
- Fill a tall glass with equal parts club soda and cucumber-melon mixture. Garnish with more basil.