People stop me and ask questions about recipes I’ve run, and often they point out that I never write about my kids anymore. Usually I explain that my kids have reached an age at which they aren’t as crazy about me writing about their personal lives. But this week, I’m going to share a story about an amazing group of young professional women that my daughter Holly has joined with in Dallas and their achievement in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

Last year Holly joined a group in Dallas named Blondes versus Brunettes, or as they call themselves, BvB of Dallas. This group of young women started in 2008 raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association by playing a powder puff football game divided up by as you guessed it, blondes vs brunettes. Over the last four years these ladies have raised $675,000 to fight the sixth leading cause of death in America. Their group goal this year is $275,000 and two days ago they were at $261,820.

Holly began her involvement in BvB Dallas to honor her great-grandmother who had Alzheimers and also her husband’s grandmother who currently is battling this terrible disease. She has been chosen to co-captain the blonde team this year with one of the many friends she has made while giving back to her community.

With Team Blonde in their pink jerseys and the Bru Crew in their blue ones they will take the field this Saturday night in Dallas. But this year is even more special because with Bud Light as their sponsor they are playing in the Cotton Bowl. And if ever a group of women deserved to be on a stadium jumbotron screen this is them.

In 2005 a group of young women started this organization in Washington, D.C., and this year there are BvB chapters all across America, including the Jackson chapter here in Mississippi that began in 2011. There are so many young men and women moving back to Natchez, how cool would it be to see a group of them come together and start something like this here and lead us in the art of giving back.

In honor of Holly and her blonde team members I’m sharing our favorite watermelon martini recipe, just right for the occasion because it is the perfect color — pink. First thing you need to do is pick out a great watermelon and cut out the red fruit part and put it through your blender or food processor and strain out the solids, saving the juice. To make the simple syrup you simply mix one cup of sugar with one cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring once or twice. Let the mixture cool and store in jar in your refrigerator. It not only comes in handy for this recipe, it is absolutely perfect to have on hand to sweeten iced tea, because you don’t have to wait for the sugar to dissolve.

 

Blonde martinis

1 cup watermelon juice

3/4 cup vodka

1/4 cup simple syrup

Juice of 1 lime

Mix all ingredients together in a shaker, shake vigarousl over ice and then serve.

Makes 3 drinks

 

Christina Hall writes a food column for The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at christina.hall@natchezdemocrat.com.