Your New Favorite Summer Drink
Make your 4th of July plans a little brighter with this easy, refreshing recipe.
I’ve been looking forward to this stretch of summer all year. I’m having a great time visiting family and friends on the East Coast and counting down to Beyoncé’s July 4th concert!
To add to the celebratory mood, I’m excited to share a delicious recipe from longtime friend of How to Do the Pot, Jamie Evans. Jamie is a certified sommelier and the author of four cannabis cookbooks. She knows exactly how to make infused drinks that are approachable and really taste good.
Her recipe for Cantaloupe Agua Fresca from her book, High Times Cannabis Cocktails, is fresh, hydrating, and can be customized to your comfort level. It makes it easy to feel your best whether you’re hosting friends, heading to a fireworks show, or playing Cowboy Carter on repeat.
Stay tuned to How to Do the Pot podcast after the holiday for my conversation with Jamie about why cannabis drinks are finally having their moment and how they’re changing the way people gather.
Happy 4th!
CANTALOUPE AGUA FRESCA
Featured in High Times Cannabis Cocktails: Seasonal Sips & High Teas For Every Occasion By Jamie Evans
Nothing screams hydration quite like a Cantaloupe Agua Fresca! This beyond-refreshing drink is designed to quench your thirst and is much lighter than typical juice because it contains coconut water and a touch of lime juice to brighten the flavor. I love adding fresh mint leaves for an even more refreshing drinking experience.
YIELD: 1 SERVING
TARGET DOSE: 4 mg to 8 mg THC per drink (using Cannabis-Infused Simple Syrup, page 49 in the book) or your preferred dose (using a commercially made THC/CBD tincture of your choice).
ELLEN’S TIP: I recommend starting with 2-3mg of THC per drink until you know how you want to feel. An easy way to add THC to your mocktail is with Off Duty from 1906. It’s a fast-acting, unflavored cannabis shot that mixes right into your drink. Use code DOTHEPOT for 15% off your order.
EQUIPMENT:
Blender
Fine-mesh strainer
8-ounce (240 mL) clean mason jar
Highball glass Muddler
Bar spoon Cocktail pick
INGREDIENTS:
½ cantaloupe melon (save the other half of the melon for the garnish—and to snack on!)
4 ounces (120 mL) chilled coconut water
5 to 6 fresh mint leaves
1 ½ ounces (45 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
½ ounce (15 mL) Cannabis- Infused Simple Syrup (page 49)
Cubed ice
6 ounces (180 mL) cantaloupe juice
Mint sprig, for garnish
Slice of cantaloupe, for garnish
1. To make the cantaloupe juice, place the cantaloupe flesh and coconut water into a blender or food processor. Purée for 1 minute or until the cantaloupe chunks liquify. Using a fine-mesh strainer, separate the pulp from the juice over an 8-ounce (240 mL) mason jar. Discard the pulp, and set the jar aside.
2. Smack the mint leaves in your hand to release the aromas, and then add them to the bottom of a highball glass along with the lime juice and Cannabis-Infused Simple Syrup. Muddle the ingredients until the mint oils release, being careful not to tear the leaves.
3. Fill the highball glass with cubed ice, and then top the drink with 6 ounces of the cantaloupe juice. Stir with a bar spoon to combine; garnish with a mint sprig and a slice of cantaloupe, for garnish
4. Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Thank you to Jamie for sharing the recipe. You can learn more about her excellent books and California-based events at The Herb Somm. If you know someone who would enjoy this recipe, feel free to forward it along or share the link. I hope it brightens up your summer!
Warmly,
Ellen