5 Ingredients or Fewer

Kristin Donnelly's Watermelon Agua Fresca

August 31, 2016
5
2 Ratings
Photo by Brinda Ayer
  • Makes about 6 drinks
Author Notes

Bitters are an ingredient you can apply much more widely than you probably realize, because they won't beach themselves on top of everything else. They wriggle in and help existing flavors bloom, much like a subtle jolt of salt or acid or heat can. If you want to know if this riff really makes a difference, taste a little cup before and after adding the bitters. The drink will become fuller-flavored and more inviting, but in a hard to pin down way. Though the "before" cup will be good, it will likely taste two-dimensional by comparison. Adapted slightly from Modern Potluck (Random House, 2016). —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 6 cups chopped seedless watermelon (about 2 pounds after chopping, or 4 to 5 pounds before)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 16 to 20 drops Angostura bitters
  • 1 1/2 cups club soda, chilled
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 1 lime, thinly sliced, for serving
Directions
  1. In a blender or food processor, purée the watermelon. Strain the juice through a sieve into a pitcher. Add the lime juice, sugar, and bitters and stir with a long-handled spoon until the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  2. Add the club soda, ice cubes, and sliced lime to the agua fresca and serve.
  3. Notes: The agua fresca base can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Add the club soda, ice cubes and sliced lime just before serving. For a large party, the recipe scales up well, and you can serve this in a punch bowl or wide-mouthed canister with a ladle.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Kristen Miglore
    Kristen Miglore
  • Bella95
    Bella95
Genius Recipes

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

2 Reviews

Bella95 June 15, 2018
This sounds lovely. Do you think it would be possible to prepare this to step 1, freeze it in an ice cube tray and thaw a small quantity at a time (before adding the soda etc)? Sounds like too big a quantity for just us.
 
Kristen M. June 15, 2018
Great idea! You might want to tweak to taste after thawing in case any of the aromatic flavors have gotten muted, but that should be easy if you have the bitters and lime on hand for garnish anyway.