Gumball Machine Melon Cocktail Keg
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 24 servings
- Total: 2 hr 30 min (includes freezing time)
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
2 large honeydew melons, halved and seeded
2 large cantaloupe melons, halved and seeded
1 seedless watermelon, halved
One 750-milliliter bottle vodka, chilled
One 750-milliliter bottle orange liqueur, such as triple sec, chilled
12 cups seltzer, chilled
Directions
Special equipment:
a 3-gallon plastic container with lid; a power drill with a 5/8-inch drill bit; a tap for a keg; a melon baller, a 16-by-10-by-7-inch red plastic bucket (144 ounces), a hot glue gun, a 4-foot red cord, red contact paper, a chalkboard sticker and chalk pen.- Using a melon baller, scoop as many balls as you can from the honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon. Save the scraps for another use. Put the melon balls on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid, about 2 hours. Transfer to a resealable container and keep frozen until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
- Meanwhile, drill a hole in a 3-gallon plastic container, about 2 inches from the bottom, with a power drill fitted with a 5/8-inch drill bit. Snip any ragged pieces of plastic with scissors and securely attach a keg tap. Wash well to remove any plastic bits.
- Invert a 16-by-10-by-7-inch red plastic bucket (144 ounces). Attach the bottom of the keg to the bottom of the bucket with hot glue. Wrap a 4-foot red cord around where the keg and bucket meet to cover the seam; glue it in place. Cover the lid with red contact paper. Apply a chalkboard sticker to the bucket directly below the tap. Use a chalk pen to write 25 cents on the sticker.
- When ready to serve, put the melon balls in the keg. Pour in the vodka and orange liqueur. Top with seltzer and stir, then top with the lid.