Be like Megan and Margarita. Recipe and photo by Megan Winfrey.

This week, I'd like to take a moment to thank the good farmers at JBG for their persistence with the melon crop this year. If you've been following along, you know they were thrown some curveballs, but melons are always better late than never! Especially when you live in a state where summer lasts well into fall. During these dog days of summer, there are few things more refreshing than a glass of fresh watermelon juice, besides maybe a plunge into Barton Springs. Watermelon juice is super simple to make at home. The personal melons from JBG yield about 4 cups of juice each, so I used 2 watermelons for this recipe since I would be sharing with the family.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita

 

Slice melons in half and scoop all of the bright pink flesh into a blender. Blend on high until a pureed texture is achieved. If you prefer a pulp free juice, place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl and pour the blender contents through the sieve. The juice can take a few minutes to seep through, but you can help it along by stirring the pulp with a rubber spatula or your fingers. Transfer the juice into a pitcher and chill in the fridge until ready to use. I like to add a few teaspoons of lime juice to enhance the flavor and fridge life, which is about 5 days.

If you'd prefer a pulp-free watermelon juice, strain the watermelon puree through a fine mesh strainer. Photo by Megan Winfrey.

Enjoy it fresh on the rocks or mix up a cocktail with your choice of clear liquor - I recommend tequila but mezcal, gin, or vodka would all be delish. If you're not drinking, you can zhush it up with a sugar, salt, or Tajin rim and a splash of lime juice for a mouth watering mocktail.

I assembled our spicy margaritas in this order:

• A dab of chamoy on my finger then rubbed around the rim of a glass
• Dip the rim in Tajin
• Ice
• 1 shot chilled tequila
• Watermelon juice to fill the glass
• Squeeze of lime
• 2 jalapeno slices
• Quick stir to incorporate
• Lime garnish
• Try not to guzzle
• Repeat

And don't forget the garnish. Photo by Megan Winfrey.