The Melon Apple Fizz goes out to all you ride-or-die Midori fans. This bubbly, sweet cocktail is a real feast for the senses, and just look at that colour! This boldly fluorescent cocktail turns up the sweetness of Midori’s honeydew-muskmelon signature, with a shot of cloudy apple juice, then brings it all into balance with a crisp shot of blanco tequila, some lemon juice, sugar syrup, and fresh, fizzy soda.
The Melon Apple Fizz isn’t shy about its sweetness, and why should it be? It’s like melon tanghulu in a glass – a novel indulgence to savour on a special occasion. Amid all the fruitiness, the blanco tequila is somewhat unassuming, so if you’d like a little more bite, you could experiment with the Midori-to-tequila ratio; just be mindful that tequila has approximately double the alcohol content of Midori.
Midori’s name reveals its country of origin – it’s Japanese for ‘green’. Created by Suntory in 1964, originally known as Hermes Melon Liqueur, Midori didn’t find favour until its name change and re-release in 1978 at New York City’s iconic Studio 54. Its stratospheric popularity would eventually fizzle out, but after a recipe change in 2013 – reduced sweetness to enhance the melon flavour – modern mixologists embraced it anew in all manner of creative cocktails.
For its heady, multi-sensory appeal, the Melon Apple Fizz is an excellent party drink and a compelling conversation starter. One of these with your salty snack of choice would make for a delightfully delectable moment.
