Top Your Summer Salads With Guy Fieri's Booze-Soaked Watermelon
Guy Fieri, the mayor of Flavortown himself, may be able to offer some guidance on constructing a summer salad that might leave you both refreshed and a little buzzed. It's a menu item at the celebrity chef's new restaurant in the historic Horseshoe Las Vegas hotel, aptly named Guy Fieri's Flavortown Sports Kitchen. Known as "Watermelon Mezcal" at the eatery, Guy's dish is composed of tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, pepita brittle, crumbled Cotija, and, of course, watermelon soaked in a mezcal-tequila blend.
The culinary concoctions of one Guy Fieri, perhaps most famous for his long-running Food Network program "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives," are not known for their subtlety. Guy's approach to food is explosive, akin to an action-packed blockbuster or a high-speed roller coaster ride. Simply put, adrenaline seasons Guy's food. But who's to say food can't be fun? Considering his restaurant's flagship item is a stacked tower of meat and tortilla chips called "Trash Can Nachos," it may come as no surprise that Guy's Watermelon Mezcal salad is classified as "lighter fare."
Flavortown fruit
At Flavortown Sports Kitchen's grand opening, Guy revealed that his wife, Lori Fieri, inspired this particular menu item. "She's a big watermelon fan," he admitted to Food Republic. Guy's signature bombastic style, of course, still made its way into the recipe. "Don't me wrong. I love it too. We had watermelon salad yesterday ... a little infusing of the mezcal, a little smokiness." The version of the dish over in Las Vegas contains something called "Mezquila," a mix of both mezcal and tequila.
The liquor is produced by Santos Spirits, in which Guy is a partner with Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, and promises to deliver the "smooth and subtle flavors of agave with a unique smoky finish," according to the website. It's a very particular blend that might not be available at every liquor store or supermarket. If you ever try to make the salad at home, you could probably get away with using just mezcal since the smokiness seems to be the primary vehicle bringing the watermelon to Flavortown.
Other boozy watermelon salads
Guy Fieri may have brought his own fiery flare to his appetizer, but spiked watermelon salads aren't actually a new concept. Lots of recipes online list vodka as the primary boozifier likely due to its neutral flavor palette, but watermelon's sweet, juicy interior pairs well with any number of liquors. Drip some zesty lime juice on top of a watermelon salad if you want to go the tequila route, or soak the watermelon in rum for a deconstructed mojito. Mint also works well when paired with boozy watermelon, helping to bring out a refreshing, tropical flavor.
If you want to get really experimental, you can even try soaking the watermelon in that notoriously mean, green drink known as absinthe. Toronto's The Hole in the Wall restaurant offers a fascinating concoction of watermelon pickled in absinthe and limoncello and tossed with mint and Halloumi cheese, a sort of trendy spin on Guy's mezcal-infused, Cotija cheese creation. Watermelon Mezcal is a signature menu item at Flavortown Sports Kitchen for good reason, though — that refreshing but smoky kick of fruit will wash down the bold beef donut burger or the rich, creamy Donkey Sauce.