Watermelon Juice | Nam Thang Mo | น้ำแตงโม

Anyone who knows my dad knows that he loves watermelon.  And I mean he LOVES it.  

His love is such that you’re pretty much guaranteed to find half a watermelon in my parents’ refrigerator at all times during the summer months… and sometimes even into the fall months.  In fact, I remember scouring all of the stores in my hometown one Christmas Eve, hoping that we might find a good looking watermelon to suprise my dad with the next morning!  Such is the extent of his love of this sweet, refreshing fruit…   

Growing up in a house like this, there’s no way I could escape without acquiring at least a fond affection for this fruit. 

The watermelon that I grew up eating was generally served in large, chilled slices that you could sink your teeth into.  The first time I remember having it in juice form was actually when I was visiting the boyfriend in Thailand several years ago.  We were sitting down to a nice dinner and when I saw watermelon juice on the menu, I knew I had to have it with my meal.  It came as pure, blended watermelon sweetened with a little sugar and brightened with a hint of lime.  And I can tell you that drinking this watermelon juice that night was every bit as satisfying as biting into a whole piece of this delicious fruit. 

With the hot weather of recent, I’ve been thinking a lot about the cool, refreshing drinks I enjoyed when I was in Thailand.  This watermelon juice is perhaps one of the simplest to make.  It doesn’t require fancy machinery or a lot of time – just a blender and some chilled watermelon.  I added a bit of simple syrup (น้ำเชื่อม) and a squeeze of lime to recreate the wonderfully pure, almost smoothie-like watermelon juice I had in Thailand.  I imagine it also be excellent with a splash of club soda and some fresh basil or mint. 

I’ve enjoyed drinking this watermelon juice again now that it’s officially summer in the Bay Area.  And I’m looking forward to making it for my dad the next time I’m home… I have a feeling that he’ll approve of this use of one of his favorite fruits.