Cantaloupe + Lime Agua Fresca

 

 Ingredients: one whole cantaloupe (aka rockmelon), lime juice, water

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Agua fresca is my go-to refresher as the weather gets warmer or when I'm craving something non-alcoholic, not caffeinated, and easy to make. This is a really versatile drink that can be made with pretty much any fruit you want, or whatever you're in the mood for! (or whatever's in season)

For this one, I peeled a whole cantaloupe, removed the seeds, and whizzed it in the blender with about 1 cup of water and the juice of one lime. The mixture will be foamy, but don't worry - you will need a fine mesh strainer for this to strain out all the chunky bits and reserve only the concentrated juice. It's important to use a fine mesh strainer, or sieve, for this. A regular strainer or colander will NOT work. 

Depending on the fruit, you may have to run it through the sieve twice. This is the step where it can get a little messy, but then it gets super easy! All you need to do at this point is add one more cup of water, shake it up, and it's ready. You can add sweetener or simple syrup to taste; but usually, if using seasonal fruits, you won't need to! This one, for instance, I added the juice of an extra lime to give it an extra tartness.

Served best over ice with sugar (or salt, depending on the fruit) rimmed glasses.