A Thought For Food | Watermelon Shrub Spritzer

[a thought for food]

June has been an interesting month. I wasn’t expecting to be busier than I was in May, but, gosh darn, my butt has been kicked. In addition to all the projects, we also had things to celebrate. Eric’s birthday and our anniversary fall on the same week, so we went out to dinner not once, but three times to celebrate (hey, that’s how we roll). There were times when I thought, “You know what? Let’s just put this whole blog thing on hold for a few weeks.” But as soon as a little free time presented itself, I was in the kitchen, my camera not too far out of reach. I just can’t help myself.

I’ve had this shrub in my head for months now. Ever since Tabasco contacted me about being a part of their Tastemaker Program, I knew that one recipe I’d want to develop was a shrub. Seems like a natural fit. One of the three major ingredients in a shrub is vinegar, as is the case with Tabasco’s hot sauce. A watermelon shrub immediately came to mind. It wasn’t until I tasted the final result, though, that I realized how perfectly it all came together. Yes, there’s a subtle kick, but what most stands out is the salt in the Tabasco that allows the sweetness of the watermelon to pop.

Tequila is my go-to spirit (Don’t get me wrong. I love bourbon and gin, but agave-based spirits are what I order most at bars). While I’m not one for a watermelon margarita, I felt like the shrub would be more of my scene; zingy, both in the heat from the Green Pepper hot sauce and the vinegar, a little sweet, as well as the green notes from the tequila and green pepper. What I wasn’t quite expecting was how addictive it would be. Especially on a hot summer day, these are dangerously easy to suck down. I guess that’s the sign of a successful cocktail.

Click Here to Read the Full Post and Get the Recipe for this Refreshing Watermelon Shrub Spritzer