National Watermelon Day – How Will You Celebrate?
Happy National Watermelon Day! Did you know watermelon has been around for over almost 5,000 years and is thought to have originated in the Kalahari Desert of Africa? In fact, the first recorded watermelon harvest is depicted in Egyptian Hieroglyphics on walls of their ancient buildings. It’s said that watermelons were placed in burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.
Here are a few fun facts about this delicious melon:
- Watermelons are 92% water (hence the name)
- By weight, watermelon is consumed the most out of all other melons in the United States.
- Early explorers used watermelons as canteens
- The first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles
Watermelon is the perfect summer fruit. Eastern North Carolina summers can reach temperatures in the high nineties with heat indexes over 100°F! Try one of these refreshing watermelon favorites with Bogue Sound Distillery’s Award-Winning #VitzellenVodka:
Vodka Watermelon or the “Drunken Watermelon”
Tools:
- 1 sharpie
- 1 Towel
- 1 Stir Bar Spoon
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bottle of Vitzellen Vodka
- 1 average-sized Watermelon. We recommend using a seedless watermelon.
Directions:
- Gather your ingredients and tools.
- Place your watermelon on a flat surface, wrapped in the towel to catch juice and to keep it steady.
- Draw a circle in the center of the watermelon with your sharpie. The whole should be slightly larger than the bottle cap of the Vitzellen Vodka.
- Take your knife and carve out the hole.
- Using your bar spoon, scoop out enough of the melon so that the entire bottle’s neck can sit down in it.
- Quickly place the Vitzellen Vodka upside down in the hold of the watermelon.
- Allow the vodka and melon to rest for 4 – 12 hours. This will allow the vodka to filter into the watermelon.
- Depending on how juicy the watermelon is, it may not absorb all of the vodka. When you remove the bottle, be ready to plug the bottle to prevent a spill.
- Now place your watermelon in the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of three hours. When you are ready to serve, remove it from the refrigerator and slice the watermelon as you would normally.
- ENJOY! Be sure to eat/drink responsibly.
Refreshing Watermelon Slushy
Tools:
- Blender
- 2 cups of Ice
- 2 cups of Watermelon (Seedless)
- 1 tablespoon of Sugar or sugar syrup
- 2 mint leaves
- ½ cup of Vitzellen Vodka
Directions:
- Gather ingredients
- Place all ingredients into your blender
- Blend until ingredients are well mixed
- Pour into tall glasses, garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy responsibly!
No matter how you decide to celebrate National Watermelon Day, do it in style! Take a photo and share it with #BogueSoundDistilleryWatermelonDay for us to see! Be sure to purchase your Vitzellen Vodka at our distillery or at any of these locations.
Please drink responsibly. Vitzellen Vodka 42.5% ABV (85 Proof)
