Earthy tequila, spicy Jalapeño and fresh watermelon come together for this perfect summer cocktail.

The Tequila Mockingbird is more than a top-notch pun blending the literary and liquor worlds.

Watermelon is underutilized in cocktails, and it’s easy to see why. Use too little, and the flavor is lost. Use too much, and you can dilute your drink. But when the combination of spirit and watermelon balanced with citrus and sweetener come together accurately, it hits a stellar note and goes down in a hurry.

A blender isn’t required to enjoy this drink—a simple muddler is all you need to break down the fruit. Start by muddling the watermelon with Jalapeño for a juicy kick of sweetness and green, vegetal spice. Next, shake your liquid ingredients, which include blanco tequila (100% agave is always the right call), fresh lime juice and agave syrup. Fine-strain the contents into your glass to remove any pulp from the fruit, and you’re holding a fragrant, bright red cocktail laced with electrolytes. Make in case of hot weather.

Ingredients

• 1 slice Jalapeño
• 3 watermelon cubes (each about 1 inch cubed)
• 2 ounces blanco tequila
• 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 3/4 ounce agave syrup

Procedure

1. Muddle the Jalapeño slice and watermelon cubes in a shaker to extract the juices.
2. Add tequila, lime juice, agave syrup and ice, and shake until well-chilled.
3. Fine-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.