Happy Hour: Watermelon Martini

Ingredients

• 1/4 large seedless watermelon
• 12 ounces vodka
• Juice of 1 lime
• Splash of Simple Syrup (see below)
• 6 watermelon balls, scooped out with a melon baller, for garnish
• 1 lime, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill 6 martini glasses (see below).

2. Pulse the watermelon in a blender to create a purée (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). Pour the vodka, lime juice, and Simple Syrup into a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into the chilled glasses. Garnish with a watermelon ball on the rim of the glass and float a slice of lime in the center.

Simple Syrup: This cocktail sweetener can be made of varying thickness; thin is 3 parts water to 1 part sugar, medium is 2:1, and thick is 1:1. Simply bring the sugar and water to a boil, then remove from the heat immediately and set aside to cool. Store in a jar in the refrigerator for as long as you like.

Source: Colin Cowie