Celebrate Watermelon Day With Agua Fresca
Celebrate Watermelon Day With Agua Fresca
There’s no other fruit that embodies summer quite like the watermelon. A warm-weather essential for gatherings and backyard parties, it seems only fitting that this iconic melon should have its own holiday, and this Sunday is exactly that: National Watermelon Day. You may not get the day off from work, but August 3rd is still a day worth celebrating.
Composed of over 90% water, these aptly named and subtly sweet melons are hot weather perfection, and have been providing refreshment since their first recorded harvest in Egypt almost 5,000 years ago — watermelons were so revered, they were even placed in the burial chambers of royals to give nourishment in the afterlife. But the watermelon isn’t just beneficial in its ability to hydrate, they’re brimming with nutritional goodness as well and are an amazing source of vitamin C and lycopene (which aides in cardiovascular health).
If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy these bright green and pink beauties, today we’re making watermelon agua fresca, which might just be even more refreshing than the melons themselves.
Ingredients:
Makes about 8 servings
4 cups fresh chilled watermelon, seeded and cubed
1/2 cup water
1 lime sliced into wedges
1 small bunch of mint, about 25 leaves
Honey or agave nectar to taste (about 8 tsp)
Combine the watermelon and water in a blender and puree until smooth. Add a lime wedge, a few mint leaves and a dash of honey to each glass and muddle the ingredients with a spoon. Add some ice to the glasses and pour over the agua fresca, stir to combine and serve. Depending on the sweetness of the watermelon and your preference, you may want to add more honey, or possibly use less.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy watermelon? Let us know in the comments!