Chef’s notes: “I can’t get enough of watermelon in the summer, and I made this by the pitcherful through the tough summer of 2020. It works equally well with all the clear spirits—I’m partial to rum—or no booze at all.”
Ingredients
For the syrups
3 cups seedless watermelon chunks
3 tbsp. plus 4 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
2 cucumbers, peeled and roughly chopped
For the glass rims
2 tsp. whole cumin seeds
5 or 6 whole black peppercorns
¼ cup kosher salt
For each cocktail
¾ oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice
1¾ oz. silver rum, gin, or vodka (if desired)
1½ oz. soda water (Topo Chico works great)
Mint sprigs, for garnish
Cucumber slices, for garnish
Lime leaves, for garnish
Preparation
Make the syrups: In a blender, puree watermelon and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard pulp. Return juice to blender and whiz with 3 tbsp. sugar to dissolve. Repeat with cucumber and 4 tsp. sugar and set aside. This makes enough of each syrup for 8 cocktails (and can easily be doubled).
Toast spices for the rims: Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan, until crackling and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool before grinding with spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Stir in kosher salt and set aside.
To serve: Rub rim of each glass (Kumar likes an 11 oz. collins or double rocks glass) with a lime wedge and dip in spice mixture to coat rim. Drop in a few ice cubes. For each cocktail, in a shaker add 2 oz. watermelon syrup, 1 oz. cucumber syrup, lime juice, a pinch of salt and grind of pepper, and the booze (if using). Add plenty of ice, shake well, and strain into prepared glass. Stir in about 1½ oz. of soda (more if omitting alcohol). Garnish with mint, cucumber, and lime leaf.
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