It feels like summer is all the way here (finally!) and it’s putting me in the mood for a flavorful margarita. This one has a little of everything—fresh watermelon juice, a spicy margarita mix (that’s super easy to make), and the smoky and sort of funky flavor of mezcal.How do you feel about the word "funky?" I sort of hate it in a way, but it also just really fits certain things and mezcal (and some rums) just taste, well, funky. In a good way. But still.
You can serve this spicy watermelon mezcal margarita fresh or frozen. Both are delicious and refreshing. Also, both are pink, and a pink drink is better than a not pink drink. Am I right?
You can make homemade juice without a juicer in a blender anytime, but I must say, watermelon works best because it’s, well, mostly water. I also think watermelon is basically what summer tastes like.
Once you have your spicy margarita mix and watermelon juice made, you can store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for a week (or more probably). So you can make this ahead if you are hosting next weekend, or you can just enjoy a spicy watermelon mezcal margarita all to yourself every night for a whole week if that is just where you are at right now.
Cheers to the summer! I hope you have a lot of plans to see beautiful places and spend time with the people you love this season. xo. EmmaP.S. If you like flavorful (PINK) margaritas as much as me, you should for sure try this frozen hibiscus margarita Rogan shared last year. It’s still one of my favorite drinks at the Golden Girl Rum Club.
Spicy Watermelon Mezcal Margarita
- 1 ounce mezcal
- 1 ounce tequila
- 2 ounces spicy margarita mix (see below)
- 1 ounce fresh watermelon juice
- salt for the rim
- lots of ice (especially for a frozen version)
- Line the rim of small glass with lime juice and dip in coarse salt to coat. Then add the mezcal, tequila, and spicy margarita mix. Give that a stir and then fill the glass so it’s 2/3 full with ice. Pour the watermelon juice over the top, and if needed you splash on a little more than 1 ounce so the glass is full (this is why I like to add this last)
- For the spicy margarita mix, simply combine 1 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne in a small pot. Heat over medium heat and whisk constantly until the sugar had fully dissolved. Store in a jar or container that can be sealed and refrigerated.
- For the fresh watermelon juice, simply blend watermelon pieces and then strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- For a frozen version, just add the above recipe plus another handful or two of ice to a blender and blend until smooth like a slushy.
You can use all mezcal as opposed to 1:1 mezcal and tequila. It’s up to you. I just like to mix them as it usually tastes a bit more balanced to me but it also depends on the type of mezcal and tequila.