Thirsty Thursday Duo-Watermelon Ginger Limeade and Iced Cappuccino Deluxe

Still hot where you live? This Thirsty Thursday edition features two alluring drinks to beat the summer heat-a divine watermelon ginger limeade and a frosty cold cappuccino flavored with white chocolate syrup and Tia Maria from my faithful Thirsty Thursday pal, Vibi. Two delightful drinks to add to your repertoire of libations.

Heading out of town for the July 4th weekend,we stopped by a small roadside stand to buy some fresh tomatoes and corn for the weekend. I couldn't resist this huge watermelon. It had to be at least 30 pounds! Somehow, we didn't get to enjoy it on the 4th, so it made another car trip back home where it sat on the counter for several days. What a lovely watermelon when we finally cut into it! Half was gone, but what to do with the other 15 pound half? In the past years, I've made watermelon sorbets, salads and frozen daiquiri's(a signature drink to take on the boat to one of the islands off the Georgia coast).  I decided on a refreshing non-alcoholic drink; one I could drink at lunchtime. Fresh ginger and limes are always standard in my kitchen and I knew ginger, lime and watermelon were compatible. You'll love this drink, I'm sure. To make juicing the watermelon easy, I place the chunks in a  colander over a bowl or large measuring cup, then use a potato masher to extract the juice. The seeds and pulp stay in the colander.

Watermelon Ginger Limeade

8 cups chopped fresh watermelon, with or without seeds
1/4 sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup fresh lime juice

Place chopped watermelon in a colander over a large measuring cup. Using a potato masher, crush watermelon until juice is extracted. Discard pulp. You should have about 4 cups watermelon juice. Set aside to chill in the refrigerator.

In a small saucepan, bring sugar, water and fresh ginger to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator. Combine watermelon juice, ginger syrup and lime juice in a pitcher. Pour over ice and garnish with watermelon wedges. Makes 8 tall glasses. Original recipe here.

Just as I love ginger, I love espresso and coffee liqueur. What a great cooler for summer and you  still get your cup of coffee kicked up with a notch with Tia Maria. This is a perfect pick-me-up drink for mid-morning or late afternoon. Vibi explains to us in her post that a "barista" is basically a coffee bartender, but very skilled in the preparation of coffee, a professional coffee sommelier.

You can find the recipe for the Iced Cappuccino Deluxe at LaCasseroleCarree. Thanks to Vibi, as usual for her innovative drinks and top-notch photos. See you next Thursday for another round of delectable libations.