It’s that time of year in New England: the dog days of summer are here, mint is spreading like wildfire in our garden and the local markets are filled with fresh watermelon. So, what else is there to do but make a margarita with a seasonal twist?
We love the versatility of margaritas and constantly experiment by mixing them with different herbs, fruits and vegetables. In this summertime rendition, we split the tequila and mezcal ratio and add a slice of jalapeno to create a layer of smokiness. Natural ingredients like watermelon juice and agave bring the sweetness, while the lemon chili salt rim packs a flavorful punch.
As with all of our drinks, we recommend squeezing the fruit yourself to achieve maximum freshness. We hope you enjoy sipping this refreshing summertime cocktail!
Smoky watermelon mint margarita
Ingredients
- 1 oz tequila
- 1 oz mezcal
- .75 oz Cointreau
- 1.5 oz watermelon juice (freshly squeezed)
- .75 oz lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 5 leaves mint
- 1 slice jalapeño pepper
- 2 dashes agave syrup
Zesty lemon chili salt
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp chili powder
- zest 1 lemon
Instructions
- On a small plate, mix together the sea salt, chili powder and lemon zest. To create salt rim, run a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass until the glass rim is wet. Tip the glass over into the salt mix.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint, jalapeño, agave and lime juice.
- Add ice to cocktail shaker. Pour the tequila, mezcal, Cointreau and watermelon juice into shaker.
- Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a watermelon slice and mint sprig.
