There’s a Reason Frosé Is Still One of our Favorite Summer Drinks

Elizabeth Van Lierde, whose self-proclaimed “laid-back Californian” vibe we love, concocted a decidedly elegant (but easy) riff on frosé: watermelon frosé. It’s as delicious as it is gorgeous, with the super-sweet melon balanced against a lemony backbone. The recipe is below, but you should know about Elizabeth and her blog, The College Housewife, too.

Though she hasn’t been in college for a few years now, Elizabeth jokingly coined “The College Housewife” when she started blogging, cooking and sharing her work online while a junior in a Colorado college. Her goal? Getting friends her age to cook and entertain more at home. It was a passion of hers, and she happily promotes taking time every week to connect with friends. “In our modern world where we spend 45/60 minutes of every hour staring at one screen or another, we need a healthy break,” she writes. “We need that few hours a week with good company, good food and even better drinks.”

“The College Housewife” become more than an insider joke; her first cookbook debuts on August 10th and is destined to be a hit! Elizabeth’s frosé recipe is as easy, breezy and delightful as she is. So break out your Williams Sonoma Perfect Cube Tray with Lid! It’s time to get freezing (and blending).

Watermelon Frosé

I can’t think of a better way to start your summer sips than with a refreshing glass of watermelon frosé. This tasty frozen cocktail is made with simple ingredients like frozen watermelon chunks, fresh lemon juice, vodka, agave nectar and a bottle of your favorite rosè. If you love a fancy poolside cocktail when you’re on vacation, this is a must make for your next pool day. Each smooth sip tastes like a fresh watermelon jolly rancher without being too sweet or overpowering.

Consider this a PSA to freeze your watermelon chunks and bottle of rose wine the night before! It won’t freeze solid but just enough to leave you that slushy texture that you know and love in a glass of frosé. Watermelon is a fan favorite, but feel free to swap in any of your favorite frozen fruit. The drink is slightly sweet on it’s own but I love adding a little agave for richness, leave it out if you want a lighter drink.

You can make this batch 30-60 minutes in advance. Pop the batch in the freezer, then when you’re ready to serve stir it together and let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes before serving or until the consistency is pourable.

Ingredients:

1 750 ml bottle of rose
4 cups frozen watermelon chunks
6 oz vodka
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp of agave nectar or simple syrup

Instructions:

1. Pour rose into ice cube trays and freeze for at least 6 hours. The cubes won’t freeze solid due to the alcohol content but will be frozen and slushy. This will help keep your drink from melting faster.
2. Freeze watermelon chunks on a sheet pan for two hours with space between the chunks. Transfer to a zip lock bag or freezer safe container. You can do this ahead of time.
3. Place the frozen rose chunks, frozen watermelon chunks, vodka, lemon juice and agave nectar into a blender.
4. Blend on high until the mixture is creamy and pourable. Pour into glasses and garnish with a watermelon chunk and fresh mint sprig.

Recipe courtesy of Elizabeth Van Lierde, The College Housewife.

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