Watermelon Thyme Martini

Happy 4th of July everybody!!!  I am SO excited to be sharing this post with my friend Terry Jordan, who is the best bartender I know!  If you are anywhere near Hattiesburg, MS, you MUST find him and have him make you a drink, as he is absolutely a superstar.  Just ask anyone around here, and they will tell you the same.  Currently, Terry works at Patio 44, where you can enjoy your drinks or food either inside or outside on the spacious patio, often with a musician playing in the evenings.  You know the kind of place, right?  

Well one day recently I asked Terry to make me a drink.  That was the extent of the instructions.  I've known him long enough to blindly put my order in his hands and know that he will come up with something wonderful and original that I will fall in love with.  That's a lot of trust, right?!  I know that he is always experimenting with new flavor combinations, and he's never let me down.  But anyway... he came out with this watermelon thyme martini.  OH MY GOSH!!!!  

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Ingredients:   (for 1 martini)

• 1/2 lemon (you will need the rind as well)
• 2/3 lime
• 1/2 cup watermelon chunks
• 4 sprigs thyme (2 tsp)
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 oz Absolute Citron vodka

I'm giving you the ingredients for one drink at a time, because that's the way bartenders do it.  Period. 

Just so you all know, I've never had a "guest recipe" on here before, but I SO NEEDED to have this recipe, that I messaged Terry and offered him the first official GUEST BLOGGER spot on Menu Musings!  Woo HOO!!!!  :)  So Terry gets all the credit for this recipe, folks!  Do visit him and order drinks for yourself and see how awesome he is... and by all means, please tell him I sent you!

* Terry's additional suggestions for you!

• dry roast thyme to make thyme simple syrup
• puree watermelon ahead of time to make watermelon ice cubes for garnish

Step-by-Step:   

Begin my cutting all of your fruit, and preparing your simple syrup if you are not using a purchased simple syrup.

Here are all of our players.  Ready for some action!

We will need watermelon both for the recipe and the garnish.

Okay.  Let's do it!

After you squeeze the lemons in the shaker, go ahead and throw the rinds in as well.  The essential oils from the rinds will help flavor the drink, and they will all be strained out later.

1/2 of a lemon

1/2 cup of watermelon

Not only will these be perfect for the 4th of July, but these will be great ALL summer!  So refreshing!

4 sprigs of thyme leaves (about 2 tsp) stripped from the stems

This is what it looks like so far.

Now it's time to start muddling it all together really well.  You need to extract all the juice from the watermelon as well as the lemon rind, etc.

So while you are doing all this, you need to have your glass chilling.  This is one of those secret bartender tricks. Ahhhh... Now we know!!! 

Back to the show.
Now add about 2/3 of a lime.  I mean, come on, people.... the balance of flavors in this thing is spot on!  I think I learned that I need to spend less time sitting outside on the patio and a little more time watching what all goes into the glass.  What a fun "assignment" this was!

Now 1/2 ounce of simple syrup.  Terry says that it helps the drink "stay on the palate longer."  

Now 2 ounces of Absolute Citron vodka.  Okay - this is something you'll never see ME do.. I guess you have to "feel" what 2 ounces feels like?  Yeah... I have to measure everything out.  That's why HE's back there making you drinks.  I'd have orders backed up 'till Christmas! 

Add ice to your shaker, and shake - shake - shake for a good minute until the drink is super cold.  Terry's drinks are THE coldest!  

Now normally I would choose one photo to represent the shaking of the drink, but when I saw the progression of the shaking, they tell such a story, that I couldn't bear to take them out.  Terry's eye's and brow tell the story of the conquest of the drink.  From eyebrows up (let me shake this drink now), to all the way down (I - will - NOT - be - defeated - by - this - DRINK!)!  LOL!!!!!!  

I love this shot so much!  It looks like Terry has just defeated his opponent.   The only thing in focus is this cold shaker, which he is presenting as the prize.  "See?  Here it is.  We've DONE it!" (brows relaxed)  Geez, I realized maybe I haven't been working quite hard enough at my drinks.  Have you guys been tipping your bartenders?  :)

Now strain your drink into your well chilled glass.  Garnish if you'd like with a slice of watermelon and a sprig of thyme.

Please join me in thanking Terry Jordan over at Patio 44 for joining us on Menu Musings!  I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July!!!!

I hope you enjoyed this awesome guest recipe!

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Written Method:

Begin my cutting all of your fruit, and preparing your simple syrup if you are not using a purchased simple syrup.  After you squeeze the lemons in the shaker, go ahead and throw the rinds in as well.  The essential oils from the rinds will help flavor the drink, and they will all be strained out later.  Add in the juice from the lime and the watermelon chunks.  Strip the leaves from the thyme and add them to the shaker.

Now it's time to start muddling it all together really well.  You need to extract all the juice from the watermelon as well as the lemon rind, etc.  While you are doing all this, you need to have your glass chilling. 

Now add the simple syrup and the vodka.  Add ice to your shaker, and shake - shake - shake for a good minute until the drink is super cold.  Now strain your drink into your well chilled glass.  Garnish if you'd like with a slice of watermelon and a sprig of thyme.