I "graduated" from my master's program on Monday. We all walked across the stage, shook the provost's hand, and got our picture taken with a little rolled up "diploma" that, when opened, basically congratulated us on having ALMOST finished our degrees. Even though the speech-language pathology program goes through August, my school only has one graduation ceremony a year, which means we all walk before taking our comprehensive exams and before our final semester has even begun.
Although it was, as my classmates are calling it, a "frauduation", I deemed it cause for an actual celebration.
And what better way to celebrate than with a refreshing drink?
This agua fresca is so easy to make, but its unique color and flavor make it feel special. Agua fresca is often made with just watermelon, but I added raspberries here, too, to amp up the flavor and deepen the hue. The cool, sweet watermelon and tart raspberries make a great pair.
I also added a pinch of salt and a tiny bit of vanilla extract to this drink. You won't really taste either one, but I sampled the agua fresca with and without them, and they make the drink taste sweeter and the fruity flavor really pop.
Do you have something to celebrate this week? Whether or not you do, this agua fresca would also be fabulous with a shot of tequila or rum stirred in!
Yield: About 1 quart (4-6 servings)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: None
Ingredients:
4 cups chopped, seedless watermelon, plus more for garnish
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of sea salt
2 cups cold water
If you want to garnish the drink with watermelon balls, make sure to scoop them out before you chop the melon. If you only have one container of raspberries, you might want to reserve a few of those for the garnish, too.
Put all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the amount of honey if desired. Pour the agua fresca through a strainer into a pitcher or bowl. If time allows, chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy over ice!
Agua fresca will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Well...at least they included you guys instead of not letting you walk at all!! And I'm sure it will be fun and get you revved up to finish. It has been sweltering here, and I could use a glass of something refreshing like this!
ReplyDeleteHaha, true. I am extra pumped to finish now!
DeleteCongratulations, m'dear! It will feel so good once you are truly finally finished - huge kudos and I hope you're so proud of yourself! I want to celebrate every day with this agua fresca! Seriously, I'm awful at drinking water, and this makes water look like a paaaartaaaaaaay!! :D
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Julia! Haha, this is definitely a water party :)
DeleteThis looks fantastic. I am trying to drink more water (aren't we all always trying to figure this out!) and this is a great idea. It looks just as tasty as a cocktail!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie! I prefer this to cocktails (bonus: no hangover!) and it is great for staying hydrated :)
DeleteCongratulations...almost! So glad you came up with a beautiful drink to celebrate your frauduation
ReplyDeleteThank you, Betsy!!
DeleteCongratulations!! Even if you were done with your program you probably would not have your diploma in hand anyway (schools like to mess with you) so I say celebrate away. This drink looks delicious and the photos are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Nora! That is a good point--I like the way you think :)
DeleteCongrats on your graduation! I'm a sucker for anything with raspberries! I can't wait to whip this up this summer! Gorgeous photos as well!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Lauren! I love raspberries, too :)
Delete