Most of the time, bright-colored, sweet liqueurs are co-opted into so-called girly drinks. Cosmos, Fuzzy Navels, Sexes-on-the-Beach, Alcopops, Appletinis … you get the picture. Unless you’re going for a feminine vibe, it’s hard to get away with drinking girly drinks.

But can these often tasty liqueurs escape this narrow typecasting? Can even the neon-colored Midori be imbibed in a gender-neutral, if not downright manly, fashion? This may be controversial, but the answer is yes.

Get fresh

The solution? Focus on freshness. Nobody in their right mind is going to turn down a drink that is organic and uber-fresh. Because when you’re dealing with the fruits of the earth, we all have a primal connection to that.
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Go green

The honeydew is a great place to start experimenting along these lines. It has a sweet — but not too sweet — flavor and it has brilliant color. Find the ripest, freshest melon you can get your hands on. If you’re entertaining, cut the melon up in front of your guests. Let them taste a slice. Let them enter the full experience of preparing and making the cocktail.

So many mixed drinks are full of so many different ingredients that people have no connection. Connect yourself and your guests to the ingredients and you will have a richer hospitality experience. Since the Honeydew Dream recipe uses a juicer, you’re going to be making a lot of noise.

Embrace the noise and bring your guests into the kitchen as you juice. What could be more gratifying than big loud power tools that yield a delicately flavored, sweet cocktail?

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Honeydew Dream

  • 1 organic honeydew melon
  • 3 tablespoons Midori liqueur
  • 2 cups soda water
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  1. Processs honeydew through juicer.
  2. Stir in liqueur and soda water.
  3. Scoop ice into 4 tall glasses, pour in melon mixture, mix well to combine.

Serve immediately. For real style points, serve it up in nice tall glasses to highlight the color and body of your handiwork.