Originally published Friday, July 1, 2011 at 6:35 PM

Fourth of July drinks that pop

For a fun twist on a summer drink, rim a glass in colorful Pop Rocks or try a watermelon cooler.

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Q: I'm looking for cool drinks to serve at a Fourth of July party. Any ideas?

A: Turn summer drinks into firecrackers by coating the glass rims with Pop Rocks. Just dampen with lemon juice, then dip the rims in the candies on a plate. To get the red-white-and-blue effect, use Tropical Punch (blue) Pop Rocks, then fill the glasses with any red drink or cocktail, such as pomegranate and cranberry juice with seltzer.

Or try these watermelon coolers. In a food processor, blend 1 ½ pounds (4 cups) of seedless watermelon (rind removed) with 1 cup of lemon sorbet and zest from one lemon until very smooth. Then stir in 1 ½ cups cold water. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. Serve over ice and garnish with watermelon wedges and mint.