Any Summer when we visited my grandmother in Mexico you knew exactly what to expect, HEAT, extreme heat, followed by a sense of constant thirst. Of course, we as kids made matters worse, with our constant movement, playing until we just couldn’t bear the heat any longer. On the weekends Papi (our dad) would take us to the centro, one street completely lined with shops filled with anything one could desire from custom made dresses, shoes, toys, spices, housewares, music, car parts…. he would give us 5 dollars to spend. We quickly plowed through our money, on candy. Then we were left to walk, walk, and walk more on this busy street until my mom had made her purchases.
As we were leaving he would always get us a agua fresca, there was so many to chose from watermelon, cantaloupe, tamarind, strawberry, blackberry…..the vendor had his cart mounted on a bike and he would ride through the streets yelling “aguas!” I always wondered why he yelled, everyone knew he was coming, beside the fact that his cart was enormous, the smell , oh the smell he carried with him, fresh water made from perfectly ripened fruit, he always had a crowd lined waiting for him. I always ordered the same flavor watermelon, Papi would always try broaden my options, “no thanks Papi..I’m fine.”
Even to this day I get excited to take the first sip- the taste, the sensation of the cool watermelon on a hot day, well there is no other remedy for me. I enjoy my sliced watermelon with a sprinkle of sea salt, so I have added just a pinch to the mix. Most recipes just blend chunks of watermelon and mix with water and sugar. I add very little water to mine, because honestly I don’t enjoy drinking a water downed version of my fav cooler. I made a simple syrup of sugar and water, but have also used agave to sweeten my water. Taste your watermelon first then judge for yourself how much sweetener is needed to please your taste.
Maybe I love the flavors because they remind me of my summers in Mexico, or maybe of our childhood with Papi, or maybe I just like watermelon…..Enjoy!! Sweetlife
Agua de Sandia
Watermelon Water
by Sweetlife
Vianney Rodriguez
make about two quarts or more if you ad more water
4 cups Diced watermelon–seedless, if your watermelon has seed, strain
Cold Water just enough to loosen the watermelon and help the blender along.
1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 lime, juiced
Simple syrup (1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 water heat until sugar dissolves) or agave
Place diced watermelon in blender, by batches, add a small amount of water to help the blending process. Blend until smooth and strain. Place strained mix into a pitcher(taste for sweetness) and add salt, lime juice and sweetner. Mix and enjoy over ice.
This is so neat. Haha, this morning, I planned to have a smoothie, but the ratios were all wrong so I ended up with vanilla nectarine juice. Fruits are awesome.
There is something about aqua frescas that quenches the thirst like nothing else, and then add in watermelon, a personal favorite and you have perfection.
That watermelon word is very, very cool!
I also love your story =). That sounds like an absolutely perfect drink, hope I can try it soon!
~Kurious Kitteh
Now my thirst is quenched!
Love the watermelon/agua pic!
LL
Your watermelon look fantastic, I love it! thanks for stopping by! gloria
Beautiful! I love watermelon. A beautiful sign of summer!
I love this picture! Now I’m craving watermelon! 🙂
So excited to have found another Texas blogger, particularly one with such fabulous posts and pictures! This looks perfect for the scorching heat we are suffering through 🙂
Fantastic art 🙂
Yes, this is perfect! I was just commenting to my sister that watermelon is both my favorite food and drink! 🙂
Lovely photos and great memories! I love all the melons and fruits pureed as drinks. They are so good!
Oooooh!! So pretty, non??? I tried making this last year with a basil simple syrup and it is divine. The combination is surprisingly pretty on the palate. 🙂
Hey again…
Me encanta agua de sandia tambien. Sandia es el sabor perfecto y corta la sed de los veranos diabolicos (sonrisas). Ooh, y tiene tanto potasio…
Bonnie, what head mine! I saw your name Vianney and
I was confuse if you are Bonnie or not jajaja
Besos.
Vianney, nice momories!! Thaks a lot for visiting my site.
Right now I am sipping a great cup of jamaica water! Do you Know it?
I loved that picture with the watermelon and letters!
Hablas español?
Un abrazo!
Escuse any spelling horror!
Such a wonderful memory and a great summer drink! your photo is gorgeous!
This is so simple answer to beat the summer heat. And watermelon one of my favorite fruits I will be making these in bulk this summer. Can’t wait to go and get my watermelon. By the way does anyone have suggestions how to buy watermelon.
I absolutely adore your pictures! This makes me want to lay in a hammock
I Love watermelon it is one of my favourite summer fruits.
I have done watemelon sorbet,but I will certainly try this one I love it ,thanks for sharing bye for now ingrid
Lovely refreshing drink instead of sugared juices or soda. Love the lime idea! I make mine with almond milk for breakfast. I will make yours this afternoon to sit by the pool with! YUM
Gorgeous wonderful post. You take the best pics without a doubt.
Cheers
Mmm, these look and sound fabulous. I would love to try these this summer. Perfect for a party too.
Beautiful and refreshing. This would be great in the hot summer. I can see myself drinking jars and jars of this.
I love watermelon water too, we have it at our hoiuse mixed half and half with iced green tea and with a dash of basil seeds.
the ones I am familiar with in Mexico and have made are watered down compare to this one – your version is pure liquid melon – just fabulous … like adding the bit of lime too, I do that as well… great memories of Papi
Oh! Refreshing for sure and such a nice happy color to the watermelon water. I can barely carve in a straight line and you were able to carve out letters! =)
Looking forward to buying my first watermelon of the season tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds so refreshing! I can skip the sugar but I love the addition of sea salt 🙂
I didn’t realize that agua fresca is made from such natural, fresh, whole ingredients! I’ve been avoiding it for nothing! So refreshing!
that looks so refreshing…perfect summer drink…lovely pics ..
Love the story! The Agua de Sandia looks so good; bright and refreshing. I need to try this sometime.
wow, I have been busy for a couple of days. I feel so behind. Those beans below, sound so yummy. I think they would be great paired with this drink. Maybe this could be frozen into popsicles?
Fabulous! btw-salt on watermelon is divine
Agave nectar figures promenently in my pantry. It’s become very useful in many of my preparations.
To be honest…I enjoy the simple sweetness of the watermelon alone. I can have a bath in it ;o)
Love the crafty food art.
Flavourful wishes, Claudia
Beautiful story creating wonderful images of your childhood. Five dollars on CANDY. All I can say is – hopefully you had cheap dental care! He he. Your story took me right there with you to the aguas mad on his bike…
and wonderul vibrant photos, too!
🙂
Valerie
What a wonderful memory! Makes me want to go down to Mexico right NOW to try a watermelon agua, which I’ve never had before. 😉 I suppose, the next best thing is to try to recreate my own. Thanks for the recipe.
Paz (who loves the first photo, too)
Wow! Bonnie…watermelonl salt and lime. You really know what makes me tick!! LOVE the combination and now I’m wondering, what if I put a slug of tequila in there ? 😉
Yum! We make watermelon granitas, but I like how this is a cool refreshing beverage. Brilliant!
Yummy! I like the addition of lime juice to this. Later in the summer when we get some really good local water melons I will try this out 🙂
This is one of my favorite drinks for the summer. I like that deep red color of the watermelon.
I love my watermelon with a bit of salt too. My husband thinks I’m crazy. I’m glad to hear you like it too. The drink looks so refreshing.
This is such a yummy thirst quencher! And filled with sweet memories too!
Bonnie,
What a wonderful recipe for a warm summer day…your pics are making me crave a tall glass right now.
Very creative use of the watermelon to carve out the word…cool!
Carmen
This sounds great and refreshing!
Carmen
What a cute little art piece you did! I really like it!!
I agree with you that watermelon water/shake/smoothie is so satisfying in a heat!
I love your play with food………and I love watermelon drinks. That’s one thing I MISS about Nigeria, and tigernuts. Love the photos
How wonderful Bonnie – We make simple watermelon juice and have never added the sea salt which I think is a lovely addition also to replenish lost salts.
Lovely recipe to keep handy for the summer for sure 🙂
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Can you spell HOT. Mmm – this looks so refreshing I can hear the crunch!