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Melon Ball Cocktail

A visually stunning and refreshingly simple cocktail combining sweet, ripe melons with vodka and sparkling wine. Perfect for warm weather entertaining with natural fruit sweetness and fun edible melon balls floating in your glass.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Melon Chilling (If Needed) 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: American Contemporary
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1.5 ounces vodka
  • 4-5 melon balls cantaloupe freshly made
  • 4-5 melon balls honeydew melon freshly made
  • 3 ounces prosecco or sparkling wine
  • 0.5 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 0.5 ounce simple syrup
  • Ice cubes as needed for chilling
  • 1 small sprig fresh mint for garnish

Equipment

  • Melon baller tool
  • Cocktail shaker or mixing glass
  • Jigger for measuring spirits
  • Bar spoon for stirring
  • Highball or rocks glass
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Strainer for pouring

Method
 

  1. Use pre-chilled melon, or allow at least 1 hour additional chilling. Wash the melon before cutting, remove seeds, and chill the prepared fruit before mixing.
  2. Press your melon baller tool firmly into the chilled melon flesh, twist it a full rotation, and pull out a perfect sphere of fruit. Make 8-10 melon balls total, mixing cantaloupe and honeydew.
  3. Fill your highball or rocks glass with ice and let it sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
  4. Pour 1.5 ounces of vodka into a cocktail shaker or mixing glass using your jigger for accuracy.
  5. Add 0.5 ounce of fresh lime juice and 0.5 ounce of simple syrup to the shaker with the vodka.
  6. Add a generous handful of ice cubes to the shaker and close it securely, then shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
  7. Empty the melting ice from your chilled glass and strain the cocktail mixture into it using a Hawthorne strainer or fine mesh strainer.
  8. Gently drop your prepared melon balls into the glass, using both the cantaloupe and honeydew varieties for color.
  9. Pour 3 ounces of chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine over the top to finish the drink.
  10. Place a sprig of fresh mint on top of the drink and serve immediately while everything is cold and the bubbles are still active.

Notes

Active preparation is about 10 minutes with pre-chilled melon; allow at least an additional hour to chill room-temperature melon. Serve promptly after adding sparkling wine. An alcohol-free version must replace both vodka and Prosecco or sparkling wine with alcohol-free ingredients; omitting vodka alone leaves alcohol in the wine.