Make Mine A Double

Good morning Cape Coral!  With such a lovely day I'll definately be having lunch out by the pool.  The winter has been LONG and unseasonably cold for us this year and I know everyone is ready for Spring.

Spring and Summer always put me in mind of the beautiful, refreshing cocktails that are served at resorts and beach-side tiki bars.  Sometimes those of us who don't imbibe in spirits may feel a little jealous when we see the next table getting hollowed out coconuts with paper parasols and skewerd fruits sticking out the top. 

I always order club soda and then ceramoniously pronounce that a "twist of lime" would be appreciated in the hopes that they'll make MY drink look pretty also.  When the styrofoam cup with teeth marks in the rim and a bendy hospital straw arrives, I am once again disappointed.  My lime is lying limply at the bottom of the glass...too far past it's prime to even stay afloat!

Let me just dispell an old myth right here.  Virgin cocktails are NOT boring and no...Sprite with maraschino cherry juice is NOT my idea of a virgin cocktail!  You know those Spa Lunches at Home I was talking about?  Try including a fabulous frozen Virgin Watermelon Raspberry Margarita with that and see if you're still jealous of the paper umbrella and the coconut shell!

Preparing A Salt Rimmed Glass 

Go big or stay home!  You can't have even a virgin margarita without a salt rimmed glass.  It is very simple to do.  My technique is to cut a lime and rub the rims of the glasses.  Have a plate of medium grind kosher salt ready and simply invert the glass so the rim is in the salt.  Wiggle it around a little to make sure you get even coverage. 

If you want the salt rim to stick a little bit better, make a lime simple syrup by boiling half cup of water and 1 cup of sugar until thickened.  Add lime zest and allow mixture to cool.  Barely touch the rim of the glass to the syrup (you don't want sticky stuff running down the sides of your glasses) and immediately rim with salt.  This technique is awesome if you're doing the glasses ahead.  Just set aside and let the rim dry until ready to serve.

Mixing It Up 

Get creative with your combos.  I freeze pieces of fruits and bag them for drinks and smoothies so when I'm ready there is always SOMETHING in my freezer with which to whip up a drink.

As a base for mixing, try club soda or mineral water for sparkling drinks, orange juice (of which we have plenty here), pineapple juice, coconut water or milk, or some of those designer fruit juice blends in the refrigerated section at your market.

The Virgin Watermelon Raspberry Margarita is so refreshing, low calorie and easy...its not really a recipe at all.  It is just a method. 

Virgin Watermelon Raspberry Margarita

For One blender-full you will need:

1 10 ounce bag frozen organic raspberries

4-5 cups frozen watermelon, about 1 inch cubes works best

2 Tablespoon Lime Simple Syrup (see method in above text)

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice (or to taste)

Club soda to blend

1. Pour about 1 cup of club soda into the blender and add lime simple syrup and lime juice.  Begin adding frozen melon and raspberries, blending until smooth.  Alternate adding club soda (enough to facilitate blending) and frozen fruits until blender is 3/4 full.  Blend until very smooth and icy. 
2. Serve in salt rimmed glasses garnished with skewered wedge of watermelon and lime.  Float a couple of raspberries on top and hit with a touch of lime zest if desired. 
3. Enjoy with wild abandon!  Make mine a double please.

Todays Food Quote

"My Doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four unless there were three other people."  Orson Welles, author