Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Barbie Girl

By John deBary

5.0

(1)

A barbie girl cocktail made with watermelon juice in a coupe glass.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley

I must have listened to Danish pop group Aqua’s 1997 hit single “Barbie Girl” hundreds of times. Even just hearing the first line, “I’m a Barbie Girl,” it immediately gets stuck in your head (sorry about that). Despite never having played with Barbies, I loved the vaguely techno, Europop sound and somewhat saucy lyrics. Mattel, makers of the actual Barbie dolls, were not so pleased. They sued the group’s record label, MCA, for violating their trademark and tarnishing the toy’s long-standing wholesome reputation. A countersuit followed, and both cases were ultimately dismissed with the presiding judge issuing this iconic line: “The parties are advised to chill.” Has anything ever been more ’90s?

This song, and this anecdote, lives in a glossy, syrupy-slick world that sounds like a blast to visit. This combination of fresh watermelon juice, vibrant grape brandy, and black currant liqueur will take you there immediately. Come on, Barbie, let’s go party.

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Saved by the Bellini' by John deBary. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

2 oz. fresh watermelon juice
1½ oz. pisco
¾ oz. crème de cassis
½ oz. fresh lime juice
Luxardo cherries, for garnish

Preparation

  1. In a shaker, combine watermelon juice, pisco, crème de cassis, and fresh lime juice. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with Luxardo cherries on a pick.

Saved By The Bellini-COVER.jpg
Reprinted with permission from Saved by the Bellini: & Other 90s-Inspired Cocktails by John deBary ©2023 and published by Union Square & Co. Illustrations by Clara Kirkpatrick. Buy the full book from Amazon or Union Square & Co.
TagsCocktailAlcoholBeveragesCookbooksWatermelonMelonFruitPiscoCrème de CassisLiqueur

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Mint Julep
A strip of lemon zest balances this refreshing spring classic.
Grape Dumplings
Native American people made these with cornmeal dumplings, simmering them with wild grapes, which were harvested at their peak sweetness.
Bicycle Bandit
A riff on the Bicycle Thief cocktail, a citrusy, low ABV riff on a Negroni, this three-ingredient, party-ready twist features grapefruit soda.
Fufu
Fufu is a dish that has been passed down through many generations and is seen as a symbol of Ghanaian identity and heritage. Making fufu traditionally is a very laborious task; this recipe mimics some of that hard work but with a few home-cook hacks that make for a far easier time.
Moo Ping (Thai Grilled Pork Skewers)
This version of pork skewers is made in the oven, which tastes just as good, but you could always throw these on the grill for a version closer to the original.
Luscious Banana Pudding
Layer homemade custard, ripe bananas, and vanilla wafers under clouds of whipped cream for this iconic dessert.
Île Flottante
Originally called omelette à la neige (snow omelet) in reference to the fluffy snow-like appearance of the meringue, île flottante (floating island) has a lengthy history that dates back to the 17th century.
Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake
There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.