This drink solves three problems at once: the leftover half watermelon you don't know what to do with, the kids who won't drink water, and the hot afternoon when iced tea isn't quite what you want. Throw cubed watermelon and mint into a blender, strain, pour over ice, done. It's pink, it's gorgeous, and it tastes like the inside of a watermelon distilled to its essence.
Pick the right watermelon
A ripe seedless watermelon is sweetest and cleanest to blend. If you only have a seeded one, scoop out the seeds first or strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve at the end. Either way, the riper the melon, the less sugar you'll need to add.
The blend
Cube 4 cups of watermelon flesh and toss it into a blender with 8-10 fresh mint leaves and the juice of half a lime. Blend until smooth — about 30 seconds. If you want a perfectly clean drink, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher. If you don't mind some pulp, skip the strain and pour straight.
To sweeten or not
A ripe watermelon needs no sugar. If yours tastes a bit flat, stir in a teaspoon of honey or simple syrup before blending. Taste before adding more — watermelon is naturally sweet and you can ruin it with too much sugar.
The serve
Pour over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with a mint sprig and a thin slice of watermelon on the rim if you're feeling fancy. For a sparkling version, dilute with a splash of soda water or lemon-lime sparkling water just before serving — it adds fizz without watering it down.
The grown-up version
An ounce of vodka, gin, or white rum turns this into a backyard cocktail that's dangerously easy to drink. Or stir in a splash of prosecco for a watermelon spritz. Either way, the watermelon and mint do all the heavy lifting.
