Dragon Fruit-Based Beverages To Enjoy This Season
The air is abuzz with festivities and this is that time of the year when everyone is looking forward to adding some creativity to their foods and drinks. This is the right time to add dragon fruit to your required ingredients as it will provide you with all the colour and taste that is required to put a creative spin to a bland beverage.
Dragon fruit is a tropical fruit which is native to Mexico and Central America and it is gaining popularity all over the world. Its taste is like a combination of a kiwi and a pear and is also known as Pitaya. The most interesting fact about this exotic fruit is that it comes in several varieties such as White dragon fruit which is the most common variety of it with a magenta-pink exterior and creamy white flesh, Red dragon fruit, Purple dragon fruit, Yellow dragon fruit, Pitaya blanca, etc.
This fruit shows even more variety when it is cut and pulp is exposed. The yellow skinned variety contains white pulp with large black seeds, the larger of the pink varieties has white pulp with much smaller black seeds, the smallest fruit, which has exactly the same colour skin, contains a bright magenta-coloured pulp and also contains small black seeds.
What Does Dragon Fruit Taste Like?
As mentioned above, dragon fruit tastes like a combination of a kiwi and a pear. Its flavour is mild yet fruity which means it is perfect to be paired with other flavours as it doesn’t compete on taste. The drinks which contain tropical or citrus flavours go very well with dragon fruit.
The Best Dragon Fruit-Based Beverages To Enjoy This Season
As this is a fruit which exhibits great variety in its appearance and taste, here are some beverages that use this fruit and display the same versatility. Do not forget that these beverages are not restricted to this season and you may enjoy them as per your taste and preference.
Dragon Fruit Cocktail
Ingredients
60ml Vodka
30ml Elderflower Liqueur
22ml Dragon Fruit Puree
30ml Lemon Juice [Freshly Squeezed]
30ml Simple Syrup
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
Add ice and shake well until mixed properly.
Double strain.
Serving Guidelines
Serve chilled.
Serve into martini cocktail coupe-style glasses.
Dragon Fruit Lemonade
Ingredients
1 Large dragon fruit, pink or white flesh, peel removed [about 1.5 cups]
5 cups of water
0.5 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice [4/6 Lemons]
Instructions
Blend dragon fruit with 1 cup of water until you get the desired texture.
Transfer the dragon fruit mixture to a lemonade pitcher and add the remaining 4 cups of water, lemon juice and sweetener.
Stir and adjust the sweetener or water, if necessary.
Store in the fridge to chill.
Stir well before serving.
Serving Guidelines
Serve in a glass filled with ice cubes to keep it chilled.
Please note that if you do not have pink but white flesh dragon fruit, you can peel the fruit, remove the outer layer while keeping some of the softer bright pink layer. It will be enough to provide your drink that pink colour.
Dragon Fruit Rum Cocktail
Ingredients
60 ml Rum [White]
1 Dragon Fruit
1 Dragon Fruit Slice
30ml Lemon Juice
Ice Cubes
Instructions
Scoop out the flesh of dragon fruit and put it in your shaker.
Keep one slice of dragon fruit away for garnishing.
Take all of the dragon fruit flesh in a cocktail shaker and muddle until the fruit releases all of the juices.
Add the rum and lemon juice.
Add ice and shake well.
Please note if the dragon fruit doesn’t make enough juice, add more lemon juice and rum.
Serving Guidelines
Serve chilled in a cocktail glass.
Garnish with the saved slice of dragon fruit.
Dragon fruit as mentioned above presents variety and the same variety can be seen in the beverages created with this fruit. You may choose to make your drink with alcohol or can create a mocktail, either way, the colour and taste of dragon fruit will make the beverage festive-ready for you. Keep experimenting with your lending and serving style till the time you find the right fit for you just like the right kind of dragon fruit to suit your taste palette.
Drink responsibly. This communication is intended for audiences aged 25 and above.
