Every Heart Beats True, For the Red, White and Blue … Drinks!

American pride. Land of opportunity. Land of good food and drinks! Here are a couple of sparkling, bang up, “spirit” recipes you can make to serve while enjoying watching the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Get the party started with this refreshing watermelon and tequila drink. For the little ones, you can make this a virgin – just add a little water so it isn’t too thick.

The Boom

Ingredients

• 1 seedless watermelon
• ¾ cup lemon juice
• 2 cups silver (blanco) tequila

Directions

1. Cut melon into chunks and discard rind.
2. Purée chunks in batches in a food processor. Pour mixture through a strainer into a bowl.
3. Pour 4 cups into another bowl and whisk in lemon juice. Save any remaining watermelon juice for another batch.
4. Pour juice mixture into 4 ice cube trays and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
5. To make the drinks place half the watermelon cubes in a food processor and whirl until broken up Add 1 cup tequila and mix until blended. Pour into a pitcher and repeat with remaining ingredients.

The Sparkler

This one might be a little hard to make a virgin, but this sparkling drink recipe is just right for making you feel like you are drinking a firework!

Ingredients

• Lemon Lime Soda
• Pop Rocks – any red or blue flavor
• Blueberry flavored Vodka
• Fresh Strawberries
• Fresh Blueberries
• Grenadine (optional but I think it tastes better with it)

Directions

1. Spread 1 package of Pop Rocks (either blue or red works) on a plate.
2. On a different plate pour some grenadine or simple syrup (if you don’t have any on hand wet the rim with water, the candy is so sticky it will still pick up some of the pop rocks).
3. Dip the rim of your glass into the syrup and then onto the pop rocks. You will hear the candy start to pop, but don’t fret they will still pop in your mouth when you drink it!
4. Place a handful of raspberries in the bottom of your glass and drizzle a little grenadine on top.
5. Add vodka – standard cocktail amount is about a shot or 1.5 – 2 ounces.
6. Add as much ice as your glass will hold – this will separate the blueberries from the raspberries and give you the red white and blue look
7. Slowly pour in your sprite. If you pour too fast, the grenadine will mix, and take away the “white” aspect of the drink.
8. Add a handful of blueberries on top.

Get ready for an explosion of flavor in your mouth! However, you celebrate the fourth of July, have fun and be safe.