A Very Regal Indulgence
When it comes to drinking, I have to admit I am not really all that hardcore. I like my drinks the same way I like my men. Simple, classy and sophisticated… A cool, elegant class of Champagne, Prosecco, or (on a special occasion) a Kir Royal is generally what you will find me sipping on a warm summer evening. In the winter, nothing slips down better than a good bottle of red wine.
However, living in sunnier climes means that sometimes, just sometimes, I am inclined to indulge in something a little more on the fun and flirty side. Luckily for me, I married a man who just so happens to be somewhat of a cocktail connoisseur.
I came to the drinking game a little later than most, I never really liked the taste – and despite what most of my friends would tell me, in my opinion there was a distinctive taste to vodka. However, during my freshers week at Uni, a friend introduced me to a drink that slipped down just a little too easily.
Watermelon Bacardi Breezers.
Oops. So began a love affair that would follow me all the way to adulthood. However, forever the ‘lady’ of the group, (and yes even at university I had an aversion to drinking from the bottle) I would pour my beautifully pink coloured drink into a tall thin glass. Now I find myself a 30 (something) year old mother and I have to admit that even the thought of ordering a Bacardi Breezer makes me cringe.
Now I don’t have to. I have my very own gorgeous Tom Cruise equivalent in my very own Cocktail Bar – and no sooner than I admitted my embarrassing guilty pleasure had he whipped up a very adult version just for me.
So – just for you very lucky ladies – I am unlocking a very special box in my husband’s drinks cabinet to give you his secret recipe. It’s just close enough to the Bacardi Breezer to bring back some beautiful memories, but luxurious enough to enjoy by the pool in a lovely Margarita glass. Scrummy, classy, and just a little bit naughty. I guess that kind of sums up The Duchess to a T!
Alternative Method:
1: Give this recipe to your very own Tom Cruise equivalent
2: Sit back and watch him make if for you. After all, a lady really shouldn’t be doing the heavy lifting after a hard day should she?
ENJOY!
- Ice – and plenty of it!
- A Blender – a necessity to get the perfect texture
- Margarita Glass – or something suitably sexy… no regular glasses for this drink.
- Watermelon – Several generous slices – plus a little to garnish
- 1 part White Rum – Bacardi is of course fine, but any good quality rum will do.
- 1 part Dark Rum – Only the best dark rum will do for the Duchess, but as long as it’s dark it will pass!
- Sugar Syrup (to taste) – if you don’t know how to make sugar syrup, good quality caster sugar will do.
- Fresh Lemon
- Fresh Lime
- Apple Juice – not too much, more a lubricant than a mixer.
- Gather all your ingredients on your workbench, and marvel at the beautiful array of colours! Ok – maybe this step is just for me, but there is something special about looking at all the ingredients lined up in a row and knowing that soon it will be mixed together to make the most heavenly concoction.
- Make sure you blender is switched on – there is nothing more embarrassing than having to call the hubby to insist the thing is broken, when in fact you simply haven’t plugged the damn thing in… and lets face it, it makes you look way more drunk than you may actually already be!
- After putting on your gorgeous retro pinny (ok, again, this may just be me, so you can skip this part if you like) slice and deseed the watermelon.
Put a large handful of ice cubes in the blender. - Add the deseeded watermelon and both types of rum and a splash of the apple juice.
- Push the blender button and watch the magic happen.
- Switch OFF the blender before doing the next part. Now you need to taste a little of the drink and determine how much of the other ingredients you will need.
- For me, a squeeze of half a lime, and half a lemon, followed by around a tablespoon of sugar syrup (2 tablespoons of caster sugar if you were unable to make the syrup) just about hits the spot. But this bit is up to you – adjust to your own levels of taste.
- Blend again until it is the consistency of a Frozen Margarita.
- Pour into a gorgeous chilled Margarita glass, or sexy glass equivalent and garnish with a small piece of watermelon.
- Sit back, relax, and enjoy your spoils.
