Tirgan
Rosé, watermelon and a splash of water, for the midsummer festival of rain.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | ml | oz |
|---|---|---|
| Dry rosé wine | 90 ml | 3 oz |
| Fresh watermelon juice · homemade, J04 | 40 ml | 1⅓ oz |
| Elderflower liqueur | 10 ml | ⅓ oz |
| Fresh lemon juice · homemade, J01 | 5 ml | 1 tsp |
| Chilled soda water | 30 ml | 1 oz |
Ounces are rounded; measure in ml for accuracy. Homemade items link to their own page.
large wine glass
fresh cubes
mint sprig
The story
Tirgan is an ancient Iranian midsummer festival of water and rain, still celebrated in Mazandaran, where people splash each other with water and tie rainbow-colored bands around their wrists. It remembers the legendary archer Arash, whose arrow, shot from the mountains, set the borders of Iran. This light spritz brings rosé and watermelon together with a splash of water for the festival.
Method
- Fill a large wine glass with ice.
- Add the rosé, watermelon juice, elderflower liqueur and lemon.
- Top with soda water and stir gently.
- Garnish with a mint sprig.
How it tastes
Light, juicy and dry, with fresh watermelon, a floral lift of elderflower and soft bubbles.
Persian taste: shirin (sweet), fresh
Pair it with
- Food: Mast-o-khiar, yogurt with cucumber, mint and rose petals, with flatbread.
- Sweet: Chilled watermelon with a few drops of rose water.
- Snack: Nan-o-panir-o-hendevaneh
Variations
Sparkling Tirgan
Use a dry sparkling rosé and skip the soda.
Alcohol-free
90 ml watermelon juice, 10 ml lemon, 10 ml rose syrup, topped with soda.
Balancing tips
- Remember that rosé is wine, not rose water.
- Use a crisp, dry rosé; sweet rosé makes the drink cloying.
Allergens
- Sulfites (wine)
- Contains alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Check wine acidity and fruit sweetness.
Watch it mixed
Follow along
Steps light up as the animation plays. Tap a step to jump to it.
Heads-up: this animation was rendered from an earlier draft, so the amounts on screen differ slightly. Follow the ingredient table above.
Mazandaran (Tirgan festival), imagined
