Muskmelon Garnishes: 5 Ways To Elevate Drink Presentations Using This Fruit
A fruit that is used often in summers to make varied cocktail and mocktail blends, the muskmelon has distinctly sweet and creamy notes which not only build flavour into drinks but also introduce a textural layer that gives them more body and volume.
As well, this tropical fruit is an excellent garnish because its light cream colours and soft appearance lend drinks an elegant and graceful quality. And there are a number of methods which can be employed to turn muskmelon balls or muskmelon ices into tasteful and aesthetic drink adornments.
Read on below to know more about some of the ways in which muskmelon can be used as a garnish that introduces an aesthetic touch into drink presentations:
Balled Melon Skewers
One of the more artsy ways to use a melon as a garnish in drinks is to ball the fruit and prop it onto skewers. These skewers can then be placed horizontally on cocktail glasses containing drinks infused with different fruity flavours. This also brings a textural nuance into the blends because balled melons have a creamy and soft mouthfeel that builds more density into the otherwise crisp and fizzy qualities of summertime mixes containing club soda or tonic water. Use a melon baller to scoop the round spheres and place at least 2-3 of these on the skewer while garnishing.
Melon Ribbon Twists
Another way of placing a melon garnish on top of drinks is to turn fruit slices into ribbon twists. These bring an elegant touch into cocktail and mocktail glasses, endowing them with a graceful look. Shave thin, long ribbons of muskmelon and twist them into loops or spirals that can be wrapped inside a highball glass or can be twirled into ribbons that rest on top of the cocktail. This garnish goes well with drinks like highballs and spritzers served in tall glasses.
Melon Fans Or Wedges
Thin wedges of the fruit can be propped onto the rim of serving glasses as a garnish that gives drinks a finished look. Melon fans can be prepared by cutting the fruit along with the rinds to give them more body and a firmer base. These fans can be perched onto the rim of glasses containing fruity, tropical blends so that the aroma of the muskmelon blends into the drink little by little to give it a distinctly fragrant touch. Hooked over the edge of a cocktail or mocktail glass, melon fans and wedges also bring into drinks a tiki or island-themed look that is well-suited to summertime gathering.
Melon Ice Cubes
A beautiful and aesthetic looking garnish comes in the form of melon ice cubes that can be prepared by making muskmelon puree which is then frozen in ice trays. Adding 2-3 of these ice cubes to drinks not only brings a beautifying element into them but also ensures that the taste of the fruit slowly seeps into the blend to deliver more complex and fruity flavour notes. Add a mint leaf or edible flower in each ice cube for a colourful pop and added flavour.
Muskmelon And Herb Cocktail Picks
Cocktail picks decorated with melon cubes or balls and little herbal flourishes inserted here and there, acquire a very boho and kitschy look that is an excellent addition to cocktails and mocktails prepared for summer sundowners. Herbs like mint, shiso and basil go well with the sweet and mellow characteristics of the muskmelon to introduce a savoury touch into the fruit’s flavours. This garnish is a suitable addition to sweet and sour drinks that are contrasted with a hint of its creamy and peppery effect.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
