Pro Tips For The Right Texture

This pumpkin smoothie has just the right texture using Greek yogurt and pumpkin puree as the main liquid components. But here’s a note if your smoothie doesn’t start to blend right away:

• Place all the liquid items into your blender first. This helps the blades not get stuck when you start to blend.
• If necessary, add a splash of milk or water to your smoothie to help it blend. Whether you’ll need it depends on the consistency of your yogurt and how powerful your blender is.

Add-Ins And Variations

This pumpkin smoothie tastes pretty great as is. But you can mix it up if you like! Here are a few ideas for other add ins for this smoothie:

• Oats: Add whole grains by throwing in ½ cup rolled oats.
• Pecans, cashews or almonds: Throw in ¼ cup nuts for even more plant-based protein.
• Nut butter: Or add 1 to 2 tablespoons almond butter or cashew butter.
• Chai spices: Replace the pumpkin spice with chai spices.

Fun Topping Ideas

Want to take this pumpkin smoothie over the top? If you’re serving it for guests for a fall brunch, it could be fun to step it up a bit. Here are some ideas for toppings: let us know what other ideas you have!

• Granola: Add healthy maple pecan granola for a tasty treat!
• Chopped pecans or walnuts: A few chopped nuts look like lovely confetti.
• Pumpkin seeds: Pepitas would be perfect! Or even pumpkin seed granola.

Make It Vegan Or Dairy-Free

Want to make this into a vegan smoothie? You can substitute oat milk or almond milk for the Greek yogurt! You can also use your favorite brand of vegan yogurt. It will have a slightly thinner texture than with yogurt, but it will taste just as good. (Here are more of my dairy free smoothies.)

More Smoothie Recipes

• Vanilla Protein Smoothie
• Oatmeal Smoothie
• Strawberry Smoothie
• 50 Healthy Smoothie Recipes
• 30 Best Fruit Smoothies
• 10 Veggie Smoothies

Ingredients In a Cranberry Martini

The cranberry martini is a spin on the flavored vodka martini. Though the Classic Dry Martini is made with gin and vermouth, there’s a whole family of vodka martinis that are fruity and herbal. I’ve got lots of types of vodka martini recipes, from ginger to pomegranate to cucumber.

There are a few vodka martinis that make the list of the International Bartender’s Association official cocktails, like the Lemon Drop Martini, French Martini, and the Espresso Martini. Many other vodka martinis are more free-form and the ingredients depend on the bartender. Here’s what’s in my spin on the cranberry martini:

• Vodka: Any mid-shelf bottle works; I like Tito’s.
• 100% cranberry juice: I like using unsweetened cranberry juice in my cranberry cocktails, not cranberry juice cocktail. See more below!
• Cointreau: This orange liqueur adds citrusy notes that compliment the cranberry; you can also use triple sec.
• Fresh lemon juice: Always use a fresh lemon in cocktail recipes: you can taste the difference!
• Simple syrup: Homemade simple syrup is easy to make and stores for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Unsweetened vs Sweetened Cranberry Juice

This cranberry martini recipe is optimized to use 100% unsweetened cranberry juice. It’s easy to find at your local grocery these days, but be careful when you’re picking it out from the shelf. There are several different types of cranberry juice you’ll see:

• Sweetened cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail has added sugars and sometimes high-fructose corn syrup as sweetener. It is the type used for classic cranberry cocktails of the past, like the Vodka Cranberry and others. We prefer…
• 100% cranberry juice is the preferred option. The benefits of this type? The color is brighter and you can sweeten your drink to taste.

If all you can find is sweetened cranberry juice, just use half of the simple syrup in the recipe below — or even just add it to taste!

How to Sugar a Martini Glass Rim

I like to serve this cranberry martini with a sugar rim to add an extra visual flair. The sugar also helps to balance out the tart flavor: but it’s not required! This type of rim is similar to the presentation of a lemon drop martini. Here are our tips to making the perfect rim:

1. Use superfine sugar if possible. If you have access to it, superfine sugar sticks to a glass easier than granulated sugar. But you can use granulated if it’s all you have.
2. Take a lemon wedge and cut a notch in the middle. Then slide it around the rim of the glass. This moistens the rim without having to use your fingers!
3. Rim the outside edge only. Spread the sugar on a plate in an even layer. Tilt the glass into the sugar so that it sticks to the outside edge. Shake off any loose sugar into the sink.

More Cranberry Cocktails and Martinis To Try

• Cosmopolitan Cocktail
• Pomegranate Martini
• Poinsettia
• Vodka Cranberry
• 15 Top Cranberry Cocktails

Buying, Breaking, and Storing Dry Ice

Here are some notes on logistics for using dry ice in the Witches Brew drink:

• Purchasing and storage: Buy the dry ice 1 to 2 hours before you plan to serve. Dry ice is available at most grocery stores and is sold in large blocks (here’s a store finder). It does not last in the freezer, so once you’re home place the plastic bag of dry ice in a cooler with the top off. Keep away from children and pets.
• Breaking into chunks: Right before serving, drop the plastic bag on the ground several times to break it into large chunks. Then put on safety goggles and gloves and break it into small chunks with a screwdriver or ice pick. The ideal size is 1/2-inch to 1-inch chunks: heavy enough to sink in the drink but small enough to disappear after a few minutes.
• Final storage: Wrap the chunks in a towel and place in a cooler with the top off until serving. Again, don’t put them into the freezer!

More Halloween Cocktails To Try

Looking for more Halloween drinks or spooky ideas for cocktails? We’ve got them! Here are a few fun Halloween cocktails to experiment with that are classic cocktails with ghoulish names:

• Try a Halloween Margarita or Halloween Sangria
• Go for a spooky Vampire’s Kiss
• Make a big bowl of Halloween Punch or channel wizards and witches with Butterbeer
• For classics, try a Death in the Afternoon, Corpse Reviver, or Zombie

01

Halloween Punch

02

Vampire’s Kiss Cocktail

03

Halloween Margarita

04

Halloween Sangria

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make cafe con leche:

• Strong coffee or espresso: Spanish coffee is usually darker than standard American drip, so I use dark roast beans here for the most authentic flavor. I like Moka pot coffee, which makes it closest to what I remember. Espresso works well too, as does French press espresso.
• Whole milk. It’s the ideal richness for pairing with the bittersweet coffee. Of course, American milk tastes a little different than Spanish milk, in a way I can’t quite describe. Want to make dairy free cafe con leche? Oat milk is your best bet. It’s the dairy-free milk that froths the best. It won’t taste quite the same, but it’s still delicious.
• Sugar. This is traditional; see below for more about how to sweeten cafe con leche.

How to Make Cafe con Leche

1. Brew the coffee. Make ½ cup (4 oz) of strong dark roast coffee in a Moka pot, or pull a double shot of espresso.
2. Heat and froth the milk. Steam ½ cup (4 oz) whole milk using an espresso machine, using the instructions for stretching the milk to 20 to 25% in height: see How to Steam Milk. Or, froth the milk with a hand-held frother, French press, or whisk. The best tool is a frother if you have it, but a French press also works great. A whisk makes very large bubbles in the foam, but it works for cafe con leche: go to How to Froth Milk.
3. Sweeten and combine. Stir the sugar into the hot coffee first so it dissolves completely, then pour in the milk and serve right away.

Love espresso? You can also try more of my espresso drinks, like a Latte, Americano, Macchiato, Cappuccino, Flat White, Mocha, Iced Latte or Iced Vanilla Latte

More Coffee Drinks

• French Press Coffee
• Pour Over Coffee
• Cafe au Lait
• Cortado
• Gibraltar
• Cold Brew Coffee
• French Press Cold Brew

Make a Texas Margarita Pitcher

Texas calls for big everything, right? So why not make a Texas Margarita pitcher? The pitcher works well when you’re entertaining so you don’t have to mix up individual drinks. At 5 minutes per drink, it can take quite a while! Here’s how to make an 8-serving pitcher! Mix together:

• 1 ½ cups tequila
• 1 ½ cups Triple Sec
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1 cup orange juice

Stir it together, and you’ve got one very tasty Texas Margarita pitcher! Just try not to drink it too fast. These go down easy! You’ll notice we served it in a stemmed cocktail glass, though we typically use a low ball glass for margarita recipes. It’s a fun alternative option: you can serve it in any style of glass you like (including the standard margarita glass).

Tex-Mex Foods to Pair

Why not pair this Texas Margarita with a Tex Mex meal? Many foods you might think are Mexican are actually Tex Mex in origin. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Texas caviar: Munch on some Texas Caviar (aka Cowboy Caviar), a tasty colorful bean dip
• Fajitas: Drink it while munching on Classic Shrimp Fajitas or Epic Vegetarian Fajitas
• Taco salad: Try it with crunchy Ultimate Taco Salad (or Vegan Taco Salad)
• Nachos: What’s more fun than Texas Margaritas and big pan of Sheet Pan Nachos?

The Best Carbonated Water For Fizz

There are several types of carbonated water you can use to make a lemon lime soda: and the names can get confusing! What you’ll want here is any non-flavored sparkling water. You may see it labeled as one of the following at the store:

• Sparkling water, aka seltzer, soda water, or carbonated water is water with no additives, carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s the base for brands like La Croix, or what comes out of a SodaStream.
• Sparkling mineral water is water from a natural mineral spring that’s been carbonated. Examples of brands are Perrier or Topo Chico.
• Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty or lightly sweet flavor. (Club soda is often used for cocktails, mocktails and Italian sodas.)

Make sure to avoid tonic water: it has added flavor from quinine and sugar and is a totally different product. (Use it for a Gin and Tonic instead!)

Homemade Vs. Store Bought Lemon Lime Soda

When it comes to store-bought lemon lime soda, here are the most popular brands and how they stack up against homemade:

• Sprite and 7UP both list high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient and both carry 38 grams of sugar per 12-ounce can.
• Starry, PepsiCo’s replacement for Sierra Mist, is another variation.
• The newer prebiotic sodas from Olipop and Poppi have less sugar overall. The marketing plays up gut health (you’ll have to delve more into that research on your own).
• This homemade version has 30 grams of sugar and no high fructose corn syrup; a nice reduction from store-bought sodas.

More Soda Recipes To Try

Love making homemade sodas? They’re easy and incredibly tasty! Here are some fun ways to make sparkling drinks at home:

• Make an Italian Cream Soda with syrup, soda water and heavy cream
• Go for simple with Lemon Soda or Grapefruit Soda
• Opt for a showy Orange Cream Soda
• Add coffee and soda water for a Coffee Soda
• Make a homemade Strawberry Soda with strawberry syrup
• Mix up Sparkling Lemonade with lemon juice and soda water

How To Dry Shake For The Best Foam

How does an egg white turn into foam? It’s a technique called a dry shake. Here’s what to know:

• Use the Dry Shake technique. Most cocktails are shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker. But in a whiskey sour with egg white, you’ll do what’s called a Dry Shake. That means you’ll shake the ingredients first without ice. Then you’ll add the ice and shake again. This results in a lovely white layer of foam on top.
• There’s also a Reverse Dry Shake. Another technique gets even more foam: it’s called the Reverse Dry Shake. You shake the ingredients with ice first, then strain out the ice and shake again. This method gets it even more foamy. But we like the texture of the foam in a dry shake, and it’s most common for classic cocktails.

When To Serve This Drink

The whiskey sour with egg white is a classy cocktail that works for anytime: especially to impress guests! It’s great for sipping as a:

• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Summer patio drink
• Guys or girls night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

More Egg White Cocktails

So many other sour cocktails use the technique of an egg white foam topping! If you’re a sour fan like we are, here are a few more egg white cocktails to try:

• Mix up the liquor and make an Amaretto Sour, Pisco Sour, Tequila Sour,  Gin Sour, or Vodka Sour
• Try the Classic Gin Fizz with a thick layer of foam
• Opt for a classy White Lady
• Go pink with a Clover Club
• Try a funky Sloe Gin Fizz

What Is a Tokyo Tea?

Tokyo Tea, aka Tokyo Iced Tea, is a spin on the ultra popular Long Island Iced Tea. This ubiquitous cocktail was invented in the 1970’s and has now been canonized by the International Bartenders Association (IBA) as a classic cocktail.

Honestly, I rarely order a Long Island Iced Tea because it’s pretty potent, but make the LIIT correctly and it actually tastes balanced and delicious. Use quality liquor, fresh citrus and higher-end Cointreau as the orange liqueur, and it’s bright, nuanced and sweet tart. Adding Midori liqueur makes it into Tokyo Tea and it actually tastes even better with a light honeydew melon nuance.

What Is Midori?

Is it worth buying Midori for Tokyo Tea? In a word: yes! If you’re a cocktail enthusiast, it’s a fun liquor to tinker with. Here’s what I’ve learned about it:

• Midori is a bright green, honeydew melon flavored Japanese liqueur. It was first released in 1964 as Hermes Melon Liqueur. It was released in the US in 1978 under the name “Midori,” the Japanese word for green.
• It tastes sweet and melon-forward, with a candy-like honeydew melon flavor.
• A bottle is affordable: a small bottle (375 ml) costs around $15, and a large bottle (750 ml) is about $25-30.

Buy it for a Tokyo Tea and you can also make other famous cocktails with Midori like the Midori Sour and Japanese Slipper.

How to Make a Tokyo Tea

You can build your Tokyo Tea drink right in the glass: so you don’t have to dirty a cocktail shaker or spend time shaking! The only time involved here is measuring out each liquor. Here’s all you need to do to make this easy drink:

• Stir: Pour the components into a highball glass. Add ice and stir.
• Add soda water: Then top it off with soda water! No shaking required. Garnish with a cocktail cherry if you’d like.

Substitutions and Variations

The Tokyo Tea calls for a laundry list of liquor that can seem daunting! Here are a few ideas for some substitutions:

• Midori: No substitute! You’ll absolutely need Midori for Tokyo Tea. If you don’t have it, go to Long Island Iced Tea instead.
• Vodka: You can leave it out and double one of the other liquors.
• Tequila: You can leave it out and double one of the other liquors.
• White rum: Use another type of rum (aged or dark) if you don’t have white on hand. Aged adds a sophistication to the flavor. Or you can leave it out and double one of the other liquors.
• Gin: You can leave it out and double one of the other liquors.
• Cointreau: Want a Cointreau substitute? Use Triple Sec, Grand Marnier or Orange Curacao.

When To Serve Tokyo Iced Tea

Tokyo Iced Tea is great for sipping in summer or warm weather, but you can drink it all year round. Try it as a:

• Summer cocktail
• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Late night drinks drink
• Guys or girls night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

More Strawberry Drinks

• Strawberry Daiquiri
• Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri
• Strawberry Margarita
• Strawberry Mimosa
• Strawberry Vodka Spritzer

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Orange-thyme simple syrup: You do need to make this homemade, but it’s totally worth and it and so easy to make! I steep orange peel and fresh thyme into a basic simple syrup, which infuses it with a bright, herbal citrusy notes. It makes enough for 6 drinks.
• Olive brine: The secret ingredient! All you need is a teaspoon (straight from the olive jar) to give it complexity that tastes like alcohol. Pickle juice works in a pinch.
• Pomegranate juice: This is for looks: it’s hard to get a color that’s close to the bright orange of Aperol, but adding this really brightens the color.
• Fresh orange juice and tonic water. Freshly squeezed orange juice tastes incredible, and the tonic water is bubbly with subtle flavor notes.

How to Make A Non Alcoholic Aperol Spritz

The full recipe with quantities is below, but here’s the short version:

1. Make the syrup. Simmer sugar, water, orange peel, and thyme until the sugar dissolves, then let it cool and infuse for at least 30 minutes. Strain and refrigerate.
2. Build the spritz in the glass. Fill a glass with ice (clear ice if you have it), then pour in the pomegranate juice, olive brine, orange syrup, and orange juice. Top with tonic water. Stir gently once with a bar spoon. 
3. Garnish and serve. Express an orange peel over the top to release its oils, then add an orange wedge.

Pro tip: Always add your tonic last and only stir very gently to preserve the bubbles.

How To Make Homemade Mango Puree

Got ripe fresh mangos on hand? Then you’ll want to make the Homemade Mango Puree for this drink! It’s fast and easy to make in a blender. If you’re making multiple drinks, increase the quantities appropriately. You’ll need about 2 mangos to make 1 cup of puree. Here’s what to do:

• Cube the fruit, then blend with a splash of water until a puree forms. Go to our Mango Puree Recipe.
• Sweeten to taste. All varieties of mangos have a different flavor, and the sweetness varies on ripeness of the fruit. Add a bit of sugar or syrup to taste. Remember that you’ll also be adding sweetness to the drink itself.
• Frozen fruit works too. Defrost the frozen mangos before you blend them!

How To Make The Sugar Rim

The only part of this Mango Martini that requires a little effort? Making the sugar rim. Otherwise, you’ll just shake up the drink components in a cocktail shaker! Here’s what to know about making a sugar rim:

• Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of the glass. Cut a notch in it, then run it around the edge of the glass. You can do a thicker band, like you see in the photos.
• Add sugar to a plate. You don’t even have to measure: any quantity will do.
• Place the outer edge of the glass in the sugar and rotate. Make sure the outer edge is evenly coated.

More Mango Cocktails To Try

• Try My Favorite Mango Cocktails
• Add tequila for the Mango Margarita
• Use rum for a Frozen Mango Daiquiri or Mango Mojito
• Opt for bubbles with a Mango Mimosa

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Mango Margarita

02

Frozen Mango Daiquiri

03

Mango Mojito

04

Mango Mimosa

What’s in Bourbon Lemonade?

Bourbon lemonade is exactly what it sounds like: fresh squeezed lemonade with bourbon whiskey. It’s part of a tradition of two ingredient cocktails named for what’s in them, like the Gin and Tonic or Vodka Cranberry.

You might also hear this drink called Kentucky lemonade, a reference to the state where bourbon was born (some versions add a splash of soda or mint).The ingredients you need are:

• Fresh squeezed homemade lemonade: just lemons, sugar, and water
• Bourbon whiskey: I like using a mid-range whiskey, like Bulleit or Elijah Craig (see below).

Fun Variations to Try

Once you’ve mastered the classic, here are a few fun spins:

• Pink bourbon lemonade: Use Raspberry Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade or Pink Lemonade as the base for a pink spin.
• Herbal: Muddle fresh mint or basil in the glass first, or use Mint Lemonade.
• Vodka version: Try my Spiked Lemonade, made with vodka and limoncello.
• Extra lemony: Browse all 20 Zesty Lemonade Recipes for more base ideas.

When to Serve Bourbon Lemonade

This bourbon lemonade is tangy and bright; it’s a perfect party drink! Try it as a:

• Summer drink
• Cookout or barbecue cocktail
• Brunch drink
• Before-dinner aperitif
• Dinner party pitcher cocktail
• Derby weekend party alternative to the Classic Mint Julep

More Bourbon Lemon Cocktails

Lemon and bourbon are an age old combination! Here are some popular bourbon lemon cocktails to try:

• Best Whiskey Sour The most famous pairing of lemon and bourbon is in the whiskey sour! My recipe is a fan favorite.
• Bourbon Smash A refreshing bourbon cocktail that’s balanced and lemony, with a hint of mint.
• Gold Rush Cocktail Tangy, refreshing and classy: a spin on the whiskey sour using honey.
• Bourbon Sidecar Bright and classy, a variation on the classic Sidecar.

Ingredients You Need

Celery juice is easy to make and requires just a handful of ingredients. You can make it with straight celery, but we prefer adding in a fruit to make it a little more tolerable flavor-wise. It’s a great way to reduce food waste and use up celery that’s in your produce bin. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Celery: You’ll need 1 bunch of celery for 1 serving of celery juice.
• Green apple: Green apple adds a sweet tart flavor and even more nutrients.
• Lemon or lime: Fresh lemon or lime juice brings a nice brightness to the juice. It’s optional!

How to Make Celery Juice

Now for the good part: how to make celery juice in a blender! If you do have a juicer, you can also make this recipe! Simply pass all the ingredients (see recipe card below) through your juicer.

• Blend all ingredients on high until pureed and smooth. It will look like a thick smoothie at this point.
• Strain it. This is the important part. Strain the juice through a fine mesh sieve or using a nut milk bag. You can also use a cheesecloth and squeeze it to strain out the juice. Discard that pulp, or see below for some uses.
• Add lemon juice. Lemon juice adds just the right brightness to the flavor at the end.

Flavor Variations

This basic celery juice recipe tastes great: but there are a few tasty ways to make the flavor every more interesting! Here are some ideas:

• Ginger celery juice: Add ½ teaspoon peeled and grated ginger.
• Pineapple celery juice: Add 1 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple. (You’ll get a larger yield with this addition).
• Pear celery juice: Use 1 unpeeled pear instead of the apple.
• Carrot celery juice: Add 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped.

What To Do With The Pulp

Confession: I usually throw away our juice pulp. (Gasp!) I admit, it feels wasteful to get rid of it. But honestly, there aren’t that many genius things to do with it. Here’s what I do:

• Add to smoothies. Save the pulp and add it to smoothies: you can even freeze it to get an icy texture! Try it in green smoothies like Celery Smoothie, Kale Smoothie, Spinach Smoothie, Cucumber Smoothie, Avocado Banana Smoothie, Broccoli Smoothie, or Glowing Green Smoothie.
• Put it in the compost! There’s not reason to make up things like juice pulp crackers. This organic matter is better off in your compost pile! Here’s more about Composting 101.

Tips for the Best Summer Mocktails

Here are a few things I’ve learned that make the best mocktail recipes:

• Use fresh citrus. Bottled juice can’t compete with the bright flavor of fresh lime, lemon, orange, or grapefruit.
• Keep simple syrup on hand. A jar of homemade simple syrup (or an herb-infused syrup like mint simple syrup) is perfect for whipping up drinks at moment’s notice.
• Use good ice. I love clear ice: the cubes melt slower and the big chunks look like the drink was made at a fancy bar.
• The garnish is important! A sprig of mint, a citrus slice, or a salted rim is what makes the drink: don’t leave it out!
• Batch it for a crowd. Each of the linked recipes have instructions for how to make a batched version. The basic rule: mix the base ahead in a pitcher and top each glass with soda water right before serving to preserve the bubbles.

What You Need For the Espresso

What makes an iced latte an iced latte? The espresso! Strong coffee will not do here. You’ll need the following items to make a double shot of espresso:

• Espresso roast coffee: The roast is important to get the right dark, bitter flavor. Use a fine grind on the espresso beans.
• Espresso maker: This espresso machine is fantastic: it’s pricey but it makes the best espresso (it’s the one I’ve been using for years). For a cheaper option, this manual espresso maker is portable and makes great espresso. My French press espresso also works well: it’s my top choice for decent espresso without a specific tool. Or, you can make Moka Pot coffee for a similar flavor.

How to Make an Iced Latte

Here’s the outline of how to make an iced latte at home:

• Step 1: Make a double shot of espresso.
• Step 2: Froth ¼ cup whole milk by shaking it in a covered jar or whisking until frothy.
• Step 3: Pour the espresso and 1 teaspoon maple syrup over ice. Add milk and serve.

Below are a few notes on the methods for how to make espresso and how to froth the milk.

Ice Latte Variations

• Vanilla: Make a Iced Vanilla Latte by adding 2 to 3 teaspoons homemade vanilla syrup to this drink.
• Cold foam: Add a dollop of cold foam on top: it’s nonfat milk that makes a frothy topping for cold coffee drinks like iced coffee, cold brew, and more. This Starbucks invention simulates the frothy topping of the steamed milk in a latte.
• Iced Brown Sugar Oat Milk Espresso: This Starbucks special has cinnamon, brown sugar, and oat milk. Delicious!

How to Make Watermelon Sangria

This watermelon sangria as a spin on the traditional Spanish way to make white sangria. The method is inspired by our favorite Spanish chef, Jose Andres. Chef Andres is from Spain and started many successful restaurants here in the US. The “Spanish” way to make sangria that Chef Jose recommends is this:

• Macerate fruit for 20 minutes: Mix the sangria fruit with sugar and let it macerate or stand at room temperature and break down. This helps the fruit flavors permeate the wine even more.
• Make the watermelon juice: Make watermelon juice in a blender.
• Add liquids: Add white wine and brandy. Throw in some lime slices and mint.
• Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours. This allows the flavors to meld and develop.

Tips for the Best Watermelon Sangria

A few things I’ve learned from making this more times than I can count:

• Keep (and eat) the fruit. Thread the wine-soaked watermelon and apple onto skewers as a snackable garnish.
• Chill everything first. Ice waters down sangria fast, chill the wine and the pitcher ahead of time and serve over just a few cubes.
• Adjust the sweetness to taste. Watermelons vary wildly in sweetness; if yours ran mild, add more sugar or a splash of mint simple syrup.

More Types of Sangria

• Rose Sangria
• Easy Peach Sangria 
• Strawberry Sangria
• Frozen Sangria 
• Apple Cider Sangria 

Ingredients in Watermelon Lemonade

Many lemonade recipes call for simmering a simple syrup on the stove. But we prefer no-cook lemonade that you can blend up in minutes. (Assuming you do, too!) All you need for this recipe are a few simple ingredients and a blender:

• Ripe watermelon: A sweet, in-season melon is required here (more on picking a good one is below).
• Fresh lemon juice: Juice squeezed from real lemons gives it that bright tang (never use bottled juice here).
• Granulated sugar: Just enough to round out the tartness. You can swap in honey, agave, or maple syrup.
• Water and ice: The ice does double duty, chilling the pitcher instantly so there’s no wait time.

How to Make Watermelon Lemonade

All you have to do for watermelon lemonade is blend a quick watermelon juice, strain it, and then add the remaining ingredients and blend again. Here’s what to know about the process (jump to the recipe below for quantities):

• Blend the watermelon first, then strain it. Chop the melon, blend it to a liquid, then pour it through a fine mesh sieve. Straining helps to make the watermelon juice into a clear liquid.
• Add the lemon juice, sugar, and ice, then blend again. This second blend dissolves the sugar and folds everything together. Pour into a pitcher, stir once, and taste.

How to Make a Big-Batch Watermelon Lemonade Pitcher

The watermelon lemonade recipe makes 4 servings at once. If you’re making it for a party, we’d recommend making a double recipe. But keep the following in mind:

• You’ll need a large blender, or to make it in 2 batches. We use a large high speed blender, and it was completely full when we made the 8 serving pitcher.
• Double the quantities: click the 2x button! It’s on the recipe below, across from the word “Ingredients”.

How To Make This Watermelon Vodka Cocktail

Making a watermelon vodka drink is as simple as making watermelon juice, then mixing a few ingredients together in a cocktail shaker. Here are the main steps:

• Make the watermelon juice! Blend 2 cups of cubed watermelon in a blender, then pour it through a fine mesh strainer to obtain 1 cup watermelon juice.
• Shake with lime juice, vodka, and simple syrup. In a cocktail shaker, combine the juice with 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, ½ cup vodka and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. I like using a mid-range vodka like Tito’s. Add ice and shake!
• Garnish: Pour into glasses and garnish with small watermelon wedges.

Tips For the Best Vodka

Alex and I have said it once and we’ll say it again: the quality of your cocktail depends on the alcohol! Find a vodka that’s about mid-price range. You can absolutely taste the difference, even with vodka.

For this watermelon vodka cocktail, I first used a local vodka made by Hotel Tango here in my home city of Indianapolis! If you have local distilleries, buying local vodka is a nice way to support local businesses. You can also use any mid-range vodka like Tito’s.

More Watermelon Recipes To Try

• Watermelon Feta Salad or Watermelon Salad with Mint
• Watermelon Skewers
• Watermelon Smoothie, Watermelon Water or Watermelon Slushie
• Watermelon Sorbet
• Pickled Watermelon Rind
• Watermelon Mule or Watermelon Mojito
• Watermelon Cucumber Juice
• Watermelon Gin Cocktail

Why I Love the French Press Method

There are lots of advantages to using this coffee tool. The major pros to making French press coffee:

• It’s inexpensive. A quality French press costs a fraction of an espresso machine.
• It’s forgiving. It works with any coffee roast, and the method isn’t overly sensitive to coffee grind. While you’ll need to dial it in, some variation in the ground size won’t affect the final cup.
• There’s minimal equipment. You don’t need lots of extra accessories like filters or food scales, and there’s an easy to remember coffee ratio.
• Rich, bold flavor. The filter preserves the oils that give French press its signature full body.

Ingredients and Equipment You’ll Need

Ready to make French press coffee? Here’s what you need:

• French press coffee maker: The Bodum brand has been making this coffee tool since the 1940’s. I use this Bodum 34-ounce (1 liter) French Press.
• Coffee of any roast: You can use light, medium, or dark roast coffee here and get a great cup with any of them.
• Filtered water (optional): Filtered water has the best flavor for coffee: I use this filter pitcher.
• Coffee grinder: You’ll want a medium grind using any type of coffee grinder. An electric burr grinder is most consistent, but not required for the French press like it is for pour over coffee.
• Food scale (optional): You can use a digital food scale to weigh out the coffee and water, or just use the ratio of 1 cup grounds to 4 cups water.
• Electric kettle (optional): To easily measure temperature of water, you can use an electric kettle.

How to Make French Press Coffee

Got your required equipment? Let’s make French press coffee! Add the coffee, wait for 5 minutes, and plunge. Here’s what to do (or jump to the recipe card below):

1. Grind the coffee: Grind 70 grams (1 cup) coffee beans to a medium grind. The size of grind is important: if it’s too fine it can create sediment; if it’s too coarse it’s not flavorful enough.
2. Heat the water: Heat 4 cups water to hot but not boiling (200 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit) using an electric kettle, or bring it to a boil on the stovetop and then let it sit for 1 minute to decrease in temperature.
3. Add coffee grounds: Add the coffee grounds to the bottom of the pot.
4. Let coffee bloom for 1 minute: Add hot water to the height of the coffee and stir with a spoon. Set a timer and wait for 1 minute.
5. Add water and brew 4 minutes: Fill the French press to the top (just below the spout) and stir again. Set a timer and wait for 4 minutes.
6. Plunge: Place the lid on the French press and slowly press the plunger all the way down. Serve immediately. (Tip: If the plunger is hard to press, use a more coarse grind of coffee the next time. If it presses very easily, make the coffee grounds a bit finer.)

What Else Can You Make in a French Press?

The French press is great for brewed coffee, but it works for many other things: espresso, tea, and more! Here are our top alternative ways to use a French press:

• Espresso: French press espresso is great for a strong shot or for espresso drinks like lattes, iced lattes, cappuccino, and more
• Cold brew: It’s easy to make French press cold brew.
• Iced coffee: Try deliciously simple French press iced coffee.
• Tea: Who needs a tea pot? Try French press tea.
• Frothed milk: You can use a French press to froth milk for lattes.

Frequently Asked Questions