Cantaloupe Basil Gin Rickey
Fresh cantaloupe, basil, lime, and gin make a crisp, not-too-sweet rickey for a warm afternoon.
Prep: 10 · Cook: · Total: 10 · Serves: 2 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.8/5 (91 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
This original drink came from the idea of treating ripe melon like a cocktail ingredient instead of a garnish. The rickey format keeps the fruit bright, tart, and refreshing rather than syrupy.
Story
I ordered my first melon drink at a little bar near the Gulf, where the bartender salted the fruit before he touched the ice. That tiny pinch was the trick, and I missed it the first time I made this at home because I assumed sweet melon needed more sugar. It does not; it needs lime, cold bubbles, and enough gin to keep the glass from turning into juice. This is a porch drink with a clean finish.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely diced ripe cantaloupe
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 1 tiny pinch fine salt
- 3 ounces gin
- 1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
- 4 ounces chilled sparkling water
- Ice cubes
- 2 small basil sprigs
- 2 thin cantaloupe wedges
Instructions
- Add the diced cantaloupe, sugar, basil leaves, and salt to a cocktail shaker and muddle until juicy and fragrant.
- Fill the shaker with ice, add the gin and lime juice, and shake hard for 12 seconds.
- Fill two tall glasses with fresh ice and strain the melon mixture evenly between them.
- Top each glass with sparkling water, leaving room for a gentle stir.
- Stir each drink once from the bottom up so the fruit stays suspended without going flat.
- Garnish with a basil sprig and cantaloupe wedge, then serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Choose a cantaloupe that smells sweet at the stem end and yields slightly to a thumb.
- If the melon is very sweet, reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon.
- Chill the glasses for 10 minutes before mixing if you have time.
- For a zero-proof version, replace the gin with 3 ounces of chilled white grape juice.
Cook's Notes
- **Melon:** Use ripe cantaloupe for enough juice to muddle.
- **Bubbles:** Add sparkling water last so the drink stays lively.
- **Balance:** Taste the melon before adding extra sugar.