Watermelon on a Hot Summer Solstice

One would think one could ease into summertime.  Summer solstice, the longest day of summer and the shortest night.  99 degrees here.  That is without factoring in the heat index ( how hot it really feels and it feels really hot).  A day for shutting the blinds, playing some soothing classical music and drinking something cool and refreshing.

Try one of the darling Lee Bros.  watermelon magaritas.  No cooking involved and the

bright pink color is rather soothing.  The green in the lime peel  is cooling on its own. 

4 cups seedless watermelon

Eight 1 inch long strips lime peel

Kosher salt

16 oz (2cups) fresh lime juice (from 16 small limes)

16 oz (2 cups) tequila blanco

8 oz (1 cup) Triple Sec, Cointreau, or other orange liqueur

Cut the flesh from the melon, chop into chunks and transfer it, in batches to a food processor or blender.  Liquify.  Makes about 1 quart watermelon juice.

For each cocktail, alt the rim of an 8 oz glass.  Fill cocktail shaker with ice, and add 4 o of the watermelon juice, 2 oz lime juice, 2 oz tequila and 1 oz orange licquer. Shake vigorously and strain into the glass.  Garnish with lime peel.

Sit down in an air conditined room, turn a few low lights on, put your feet up and enjoy the quiet dark of your shuttered room.  A good time to view all those photos taken this winter when the air was cold and the snow was deep.

Just too hot to blog.  I am headed to the farmer's market for some watermelon and limes.  Would love to hear from all of you about the "coolest" room you have ever seen. Really.