Watermelon Mint Frosé

Let it be known that the unofficial cocktail of summer 2016 is frosé (frozen rosé wine). Bon Appétit came out with a simple recipe in June, and the internet grabbed on with full force. Here’s Kitchn’s own riff on the recipe, with the addition of juicy watermelon and mint. It’s equally refreshing as it is easy to make.

This cocktail requires a little prep the day before, but once everything is ready, it only takes about a minute to make. A couple of notes on preparation and ingredients: The rosé loses some of its color when you freeze it, so it’s best to pick something on the darker side. You also want to make sure you freeze your watermelon cubes individually so that the cubes don’t clump together – this will hurt your blender and it will take longer to blend. I’d also recommend making the mint simple syrup the day before, as the mint flavor gets stronger with time.

RECIPE

Serves 5

• 1 (750-milliliter) bottle rosé wine (preferably something on the darker, bolder side)
• 1 pound watermelon cubes
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Pour the rosé into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. Place the watermelon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper so that the cubes are not touching each other. Freeze for at least 2 hours, then transfer the watermelon into a container or zip-top bag and keep frozen.
2. Make the mint simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until dissolved. Add the mint and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Strain the syrup into a small bowl, discard the mint leaves, and let the syrup cool before putting it into the refrigerator until ready to make the drink.
3. Place the rosé ice cubes, frozen watermelon, mint simple syrup, and lemon juice in a blender and blend until combined and creamy. Pour into glasses and garnish each glass with a sprig of mint.

By: Ariel Knutson        

***Grabbed from: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-watermelon-mint-frose-233904