THINKING of what to serve guests when they come a-calling this Christmas season? You want something cold and refreshing to match the weather, which will be getting a little breezier as the month of December rolls in. You want something new and delightfully unique and not something predictably Christmas.
Why not take advantage of the tropical fruits that are bountiful all year through? The Maya Kitchen suggests this exciting natural drink called Cantaloupe Soda Float. It’s naturally fruity, and yet it has that fizz that you’re constantly looking for.
The recipe:
1 whole medium-sized cantaloupe
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 cup clear/sparkling soda
vanilla ice cream
1. Make 1-1/2 cups cantaloupe balls by using a melon baller. Freeze.
2. Make sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in water over medium heat. Let cool and set aside.
3. Scoop out remaining melon meat and put in a blender to make a puree. Add sugar syrup to sweeten.
4. Add soda to the puree to make melon soda.
5. Assemble by putting frozen melon balls in tall glasses. Pour in melon soda then top each glass with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve cold with a straw.
Makes 3 to 4 servings.