‘tis the season to know your watermelon!
By now I can imagine many of you know my love of watermelon. I can eat it almost anytime of day or night, as is out of the garden, cubed with a bit of salt, in a salad with some savory spices or even as a sweet & savory cold “chili”. And you know what? The season of watermelon is upon us.
A bunch of us here at FoodtokTV also love our watermelon and I asked everyone to put our heads together to share some tips on getting the best watermelon.
Cooking_With_Caz suggested we check out the two illustrations on the left - they offer some tips on picking one out and what to look for (Source: https://www.eagleeyeproduce.com/perfectwatermelon/). While @JustlikeGranny mentioned she is a firm believer that the smaller the “booty hole” (the end opposite the stem) the sweeter it is. What this all speaks too is don’t just grab one. Inspect it with care.. look for color, shape and colorations.
Curious on how best to cut your watermelons? The folks at the blog Pinch Of Yum has a great posting on this with some great idea and some good pictures.
Did you know a sprinkle of salt will make the watermelon taste sweeter? It’s true. It enhances the flavor, reduces any bitterness and will also help with its texture. Try it some time.
Another way to enjoy watermelon is grilled. The smoke from the grill adds a whole new level of intensity. In fact add some crumbled feta cheese on it and a bit of balsamic vinegar and you have a perfect summer salad or starter.
Did you know you can freeze Watermelon. Because it is high in water, cut into chunks or use an inexpensive melon baller and lay them in a single layer on parchment paper to freeze. Then once frozen, add them to a resealable bag and have a taste of summer all winter long. I use my trusty silicone bags for this as I find they store best in them.
And don’t forget - those watermelon rinds are some good eating as well.. They can pickled and make for a super nice condiment on a sandwich. One of my favorite recipes comes from Vivian Howard’s cookbook Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South
