Watermelon and strawberry slush

For a quick and refreshing summer ice or drink, a slush is great — fresh and fruity for the kids, alcoholic for the adults. If you want to serve it like an ice cone, pile up some crushed ice in a glass and pour the blended ingredients over the ice.

* Serves 1

• 1 cup crushed ice
• 1 cup hulled and halved fresh strawberries
• 1 cup watermelon flesh (seeds removed)
• 2 to 3 tbsp. strawberry syrup or Fraise liqueur
• slices of fresh fruit, to garnish

Place all the ingredients (reserve a few pieces of fruit for serving) in a blender or food processor. Blend briefly just to crush all the ingredients to a slush. Don’t overblend. Place in a container in the freezer until ready to serve.

When required, scoop into tall glasses (or martini glasses) and serve topped with a few pieces of fruit.

Variations:

• Watermelon & raspberry slush

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the strawberries with raspberries and the syrup with lime juice.

• Piña colada slush

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the strawberries with crushed pineapple and the watermelon with well-chilled coconut cream. Replace the strawberry syrup or fraise with a topping of white rum at the last minute.

• Bloody mary slush

Replace all the strawberries and melon in the basic recipe with 2 cups of tomato juice. Add a generous dash of Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Blend with the ice as directed in recipe and place in freezer. When ready to serve, add a shot of vodka.

• Melon martini slush

Prepare the basic recipe, replacing the strawberries with cantaloupe and omitting the syrup. When ready to serve, scoop into martini glasses with a shot of martini and a wedge of melon.