At a very lovely spa in Houston, they serve the most delicious cantaloupe water. Not that I frequent the spa, but on the occasion I’m there, I go straight to the indoor pool and the pitcher of cantaloupe water. I could drink the whole thing.

So for Cinco de Mayo, I thought we would bring a little bit of the spa – and the celebration – home, with Cantaloupe Agua Fresca. So much better than fighting the crowds for margaritas at a bar or chips and queso at one of the zillions of Mexican restaurants that will be jam-packed this Sunday, this agua fresca will set the tone for your own fiesta at home.

Literally, agua fresca means “fresh water” in Spanish. It’s just an easy, refreshing mix of water, cantaloupe, lime, a little mint and some agave to make it sweet. You whir everything in the blender, then strain it into a pitcher. Pitch the cantaloupe pulp, add more water, chill it until it’s super cold and get as addicted as we are.

And if you’re feeling super festive, there’s always the option of adding a little vodka. 

Cantaloupe Agua Fresca

Ingredients:

1 medium cantaloupe, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, plus a few in-tact leaves for garnish
2 tablespoons agave
Juice from ½ lime
5 cups water (divided) 

Recipe directions:

Put the cantaloupe, mint, agave, lime juice and two cups water in a blender and blend on high until it’s smooth. Strain the mixture into a pitcher: either line a colander with cheesecloth or use a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the solids. Stir in three more cups water, and taste. You might want to stir in a little more agave if you want the agua fresca a little sweeter. Chill and serve cold.