Watermelons are too much work!
Watermelon is the fruit that make spitting acceptable in polite society. I remember when I was little, thinking watermelon tasted like eating water. And so do cucumbers, now that I think about it.
I remember being four or five and staying at Aunt Gussie’s house in Stewart and some of the older boys telling us not to eat watermelon seeds “because that watermelon will grow inside you.” We had seen pregnant women before, and apparently that’s what happened to them because they swallowed watermelon seeds.
Even though it did not take long to dispel this myth, I still pick out the seeds before I take a bite of watermelon. It is a texture thing not a fear of a plant taking root in my stomach or getting pregnant. I like it, but in small doses. Just about everyone else in my family can eat half a melon in one sitting.
My husband Pepper’s grandfather, who they all called “Peppy,” said he even liked his watermelons a little green, “because they get that way first.”
I also have never liked adding salt to my watermelon, but I am in the minority. I asked Facebook and Twitter friends about the favorite fruits of July—watermelons and cantaloupe—and all of the respondents said all that a watermelon needed was a little salt. Reba Thompson, Marcelle Robertson, Ron Collins and Eddy Dean agreed with Nancy Latham –“With watermelons, just add salt. That’s all that’s needed.”
On opening night at Restaurant Tyler in Starkville, Ty served a slice of watermelon for the first course. It was a perfect way to begin a unique dining experience.
For a while, I plan for every summer gathering to have a cold slice of watermelon for dessert this year, I have a few treats of my own I am planning to try with one of summer’s favorite fruits!
Strawberry-Melon Summer Salad
1 cup lemon yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups watermelon balls
2 cups cantaloupe balls
2 cups halved fresh strawberries
In a salad bowl, whisk together the lemon yogurt, honey, and lemon juice until smooth, and gently fold in the watermelon balls, cantaloupe balls, and strawberries. Toss to coat, and serve.
Skinny Mini Watermelon Cakes
Small watermelon
2 cup Cool Whip
Rainbow sprinkles and Hershey’s Chocolate syrup, for garnish
Using a chef's knife, slice a small portion of the watermelon rind off. Use the flat edge to stabilize the watermelon on a cutting board.
Slice the watermelon in 2-inch thick slices.
Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut small rounds out of the slices of watermelon.
Place a dollop of Cool Whip onto each round and add syrup and sprinkles. Serve.
Watermelon Lemonade
6 cups cubed seedless watermelon, chilled (2 pounds after peeling)*
4 cups cold water
3/4 cup fresh strained lemon juice, chilled
2/3 cup granulated sugar (more or less to taste)
Ice and fresh mint for serving
Add watermelon to a blender and pulse until well pureed (there should be about 4 cups). Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.
In a large pitcher whisk together water, lemon juice and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Stir in pureed watermelon. Stir in ice and mint (alternately add ice and mint directly to individual cups and pour lemonade over). Store in refrigerator.
If you don't have time to chill the ingredients then just use more ice in place of some of the water.
