The Absolute Best Type Of Alcohol For Honeydew Cocktails
The U.S. Department of Agriculture ranks honeydew melons as the third most popular melon (behind watermelon and cantaloupe), but we are convinced the propagation of honeydew cocktails could increase this rating. Sweet melons such as honeydew work well in drinks. A perfectly ripe honeydew is juicy, mildly sweet, soft to bite into, and can be the unexpected touch your next cocktail needs.
Take a bellini, for example. A traditional recipe calls for sparkling wine and peaches, but consider replacing peaches with pureed honeydew and a touch of lime, and you've got yourself a surprisingly refreshing treat (via Laylita). Or a daiquiri. Honeydew can upgrade basic daiquiri blends; combine rum, agave, honeydew purée, and lime, and your guests will be asking for refills (per Salted Plains). For the smoothest drinks, Absolut Drinks suggests peeling melons and discarding any seeds before you start blending.
We rounded up a few more honeydew cocktail recipes and noticed they all have something in common.
Thoughtfully balanced sweetness
Honeydew's sweetness pairs well with salt and vinegar, according to Epicurious, but there's a certain kind of alcohol that works best with honeydew infusions. Think rum, vodka, white wine, and champagne. Not together, of course. A clear spirit is the ingredient needed to make a honeydew cocktail worthy of compliments. Also, according to Bustle, clear alcohol tends to contain fewer allergens and concentrations of congeners, the substances produced during fermentation that have become associated with hangovers.
Use Tipsy Bartender's honeydew martini recipe as a base: melon liqueur, Triple Sec, champagne, fresh lime juice, and honeydew purée garnished with melon balls. Then replace the champagne with gin, white rum, or vodka, and add a spring of mint for an extra boost of refreshment (per Martha Stewart). If honeydew drinks don't appeal to your palate, try garnishing a cocktail with melon. Don't have a melon baller? The Kitchn recommends cutting honeydew into cubes for an equally refreshing impact. Cheers!