The summer of our content is finally here. Well, almost if you’re worried about technicalities (the first official day of summer is June 21). There’re no required masks, there’s no indoor spacing and no need for vaccination cards.

It might not be the summer of love, but it could be the summer of like, right? And if there’s anything anyone loves (or likes) on a hot summer day, it’s a cold Drink. And there’s no colder drink than a blended one.

But before anyone rushes out and orders a blended Hemingway Daiquiri (aka Papa Doble), the ones that so-called “Cocktail King of Cuba” Constante (mentioned in 1970’s “Islands in the Stream”) used to make — two shots of rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice and fresh-squeezed lime — I suggest that you really think twice about that for two reasons. One, double drinks are almost never a good idea, and two, no sugar? WTF?

One thing blended drinks need is sugar. Limes and lemons need balancing in cocktails. And one thing that balances out tart is sweet. There’s a desire these days to use fresh juices and fresh fruit in everything. And while that is usually applauded, in blended drinks, fresh berry fruit is never sweet enough nor is it the right color. Your fresh blackberry Margarita is going to end up supremely tart and a weird pale gray color, neither of which are appetizing. You can certainly add sugar and color yourself (jam and jellies or liqueurs are a great way to do that). But premade frozen purees in the form of berries are often a much easier, more manageable and certainly more cost effective way to go.

Watermelon, on the other hand, contains plenty of sugar sweetness and color all on its own. Ironically, watermelons really are “berry” fruits, at least according to botanists. But then again so are cucumbers, beans and tomatoes. I don’t think anyone is asking for tomato daiquiris, at least not yet.

Ironically, you do see a lot of so-called “molecular” mixologists “acid correcting” fruit with powdered citric acid. Adding natural sugar is one thing, but adding an artificial chemical additive to replicate a natural process is quite another. And one I tend to steer away from.

Related Articles

• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  New cookbook’s ode to early morning baking is a sweet treat
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  TasteFood: This grilled swordfish is all about the sauce
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  Quick Cook: A vegetarian Mushroom and Leek Paella
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  Love lasagna? Consider a vegetable gratin
• Restaurants, Food and Drink |
  BBQ recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Plums from America’s Test Kitchen

Whatever the case, blended drinks are in and the blended frozen “frosé” might be the best symbol of this renewed interest in them. Essentially a frosé is a blended wine “daiquiri” familiar to anyone who has ever frequented a hard liquor license-impaired county fair. The only real difference is that we are using the buzzword “rosé,” which adds a certain level of perceived sophistication. Can blended Sancerre be far behind?

Furthermore, the taste of the rosé in your blended drink is far less important than it would be on its own. So, finding a simpler, less-expensive version is suggested. And never use sparkling rose in a blended drink (or one that is to be shaken, for that matter). Carbonation and confined spaces don’t mix well, or mix too well, depending upon perspective.

To put things in a proper perspective, I have assembled here two localized versions of the frosé.

Jeff Burkhart is the author of “Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Vol. I and II,” the host of the Barfly Podcast on iTunes (as seen in the NY Times) and an award-winning bartender at a local restaurant. Follow him at jeffburkhart.net and contact him at [email protected]

RECIPES

Strawberry Frosé

Makes 2

8 ounces Parum Leo rosé of pinot noir

1 ounce Alamere French wheat vodka (optional)

2 ounces Perfect Puree frozen strawberry puree

½ ounce fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon juice

2 strawberry “fans,” sliced bottom to top (retaining green top) or dried rosebud tea

Ice to fill

Fill an electric blender cup ¾ full with ice. Add liquid ingredients and cover with lid. Blend on low, progressing to fast, until desired consistency is reached. Pour mixture into chilled wine glasses. Spread strawberries out in a fan pattern and place on top, or alternatively, place dried miniature rosebuds on top.

Watermelon Frosé

Makes 2

8 ounces McEvoy Ranch Rosebud rosé wine

1 ounce Alamere French wheat vodka (optional)

3 ounces pureed watermelon

Black watermelon seeds (or black sesame seeds)

Ice to fill

Fill an electric blender cup ¾ full with ice. Add liquid ingredients and cover with lid. Blend on low, progressing to fast, until desired consistency is reached. Pour mixture into chilled wine glasses, sprinkling seeds on top for garnish.

Note: To make puree, cut whole watermelon into quarters. With a knife, remove the green rind and white part just under the rind. If using a watermelon with seeds, remove as many as you can. If using seedless watermelon skip. Place watermelon pieces in a blender cup and blend until liquified.