Tiger Melon Muddle

Every summer Andy and I like to experiment with new drink recipes that use produce we grow in the garden. This summer I tried my hand at growing three different kinds of melons one of which was the Tiger melon. I was intrigued by its size, it’s small and is perfect for a single person or in the case of our Cottage Guests two people. I’m still trying to decide if I like the taste of the melon, but I have to say this cocktail recipe that Andy found online and  we tweaked is quite tasty! We decided to call it the Tiger Melon Muddle, let’s see if you can figure out what inspired the name!

Ingredients

2 oz London Dry Gin (we used Dingle Gin from Ireland because it’s our favorite, you can also change out the Gin for Vodka)

2 cups cubed tiger melon, peeled and seeded

.75 oz fresh lemon juice

.5 oz simple syrup or honey syrup

4-5 basil fresh leaves

1-2 oz club soda (optional, for a fizz on top)

Directions

First puree the melon until cubes are completely smooth. Press through a fine mesh strainer to remove any heavy pulp, leaving only the melon juice. I will say this is a tedious process, but it makes the world of difference when it comes to the texture and taste of the cocktail, so definitely don’t skip this part!

Next place the fresh basil leaves and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Lightly muddle the leaves, pressing them gently to release the essential oils without bruising the basil. Add the gin (or vodka if you opt to go that route), fresh lemon juice, and 2.5 oz of the tiger melon juice with a hand full of ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds.

Add ice to a rocks glass and pour the contents of the shaker into the glass, taking care and double strain it through the shaker. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a sprig of basil or a small wedge of tiger melon.

This is the perfect summertime cocktail; it’s refreshing and light and can easily be turned into a mocktail if alcohol isn’t your thing!

Cheers!