Because my watermelon infusion experiment was predicated on the assumption that the melon's flavor is extremely delicate and easily overpowered by underlying flavors, I began tasting at the three-day mark, fully two days earlier than I normally do with fresh infusions. On that day, all I tasted was vodka and sugar. Days four and five were little changed, and by day six I figured it had gotten to wherever it was going, so I strained.
On the bright side, it tastes nothing at all like cantaloupe (as was my concern). On the other hand, it tastes little like watermelon, either. DPaul insists he can taste watermelon, and I suppose I can, too, but it's certainly ... subtle.
It is a lovely blush color, though, and some of the pulp of the fruit even managed to work its way through the coffee filter, which is unusual. Speaking of the pulp, I of course tasted it post-strain, and the verdict is: Blargh! Rather than firming up the texture, as was the case with the other infusions, the spent watermelon was flabby, like too-old raw beef, and utterly devoid of flavor.
So. We'll see how it fares when chilled. I'm sure it will be lovely in some lemonade or a cosmo or something. This much I know -- I went through the trouble to infuse it, strain it and make a fastidious little label for it, so it's sure as hell going to get drunk. So I guess I know what I'm bringing to July 4 festivities!
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