Celebrate America with This Boozy Watermelon Daiquiri

There are two kinds of daiquiri in this world.

First, there is the refined, minimalist, classic creed of the cocktail: simply white rum, lime juice, an un-obscene spoonful of sugar, and crushed ice. Shaken, served up. A pale, almost ghostly shade of green. Sipped.

Then there's the New Orleans interpretation of the daiquiri, which is as fierce and varied and potent as its population. Peach, banana, strawberry—all of the basics are there. Then there's Hurricane, Rocket Fuel, Sweet Tart, Kamikaze, Jungle Juice… If there's a way of remixing fruit and alcohol, or just sugar and alcohol for that matter, it will manifest as a New Orleans daiquiri.

So embrace it. Sure, an XL Strawberry Colada daiquiri might get snubbed at a mustache-heavy cocktail bar. But it's more than welcome on a park bench near the bayou, or in your backyard, for that matter.

This version, from beloved New Orleans bar The Saint, combines white rum with cucumber, watermelon, and mint (or basil), and will knock you on your ass as much as it will delight your palate.

Looking to cool off? Turn up? Shake your ass? Lie down on your roof?

Great. A New Orleans-style daiquiri is the perfect drink for all of the above. (Though if you're trying to get phenomenally high, you might as well kill two birds with one cocktail and make our Skywalker Weed-Infused Pineapple Daiquiri.) And best of all, this one is tasty enough that it will convert even the snobbiest daiquiri purist.

Katey Red, for one, would approve.