This thick, icy, fruity drink is wonderfully refreshing when summer heat comes on strong.
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 small sized ripe melon/watermelon, peeled, seeded, cubed; enough to make 3 cups
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3/4 cup crushed ice
- chilled, not too sweet sparkling wine
Garnish
- sliced strawberries
- sprigs of fresh mint
- fresh lime slices
Put the sugar in a blender and process until it is somewhat powdery. Add the mint leaves and blend until finely chopped. Add the melon, orange juice and lime juice and blend until smooth. Taste to see if more sugar or lime juice is needed. Add the crushed ice and blend until frothy. Pour into glasses three-fourths full. Add chilled sparkling wine, filling the glasses to the top. Garnish with a strawberry, lime slice and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve with a fat straw to use as a stirrer.
Makes six 6-ounce servings
