Wonderful Watermelon

This quintessential fruit of summer is a cool slice of sweetness

by Mary Subialka

Summer wouldn’t be the same without the thirst-quenching refreshment of watermelon. As the name suggests, it is made up of a high percentage of water—92%, in fact—so it’s a natural refresher for hot days.

While watermelon helps support hydration, it is also a healthy addition to your diet. Virtually fat and cholesterol free, it’s low in sodium and is a good source of vitamins A, B6, and C, and contains the antioxidant lycopene—all this at only 40 calories per cup.

only selecting and storing

Watermelon is a botanical cousin to cucumbers, pumpkins, and squash, and there are more than 300 varieties cultivated in the United States and South America, so the growing seasons provide a year-round supply, but late spring and summer are peak for domestic watermelon. It’s grown in more than 30 states, and some of the top producers are Florida, Georgia, California, and Texas.

Look for a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts, or dents. It should feel heavy for its size. Turn it over and look for a creamy yellow spot on the underside of the watermelon (called the “ground spot”). This is where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun. The rind should be dull, not shiny, and just barely yield to pressure. Store cut watermelon in glass or plastic containers in the refrigerator where it should keep 3 to 5 days.

The varieties taste much the same, even those with yellow or orange flesh, and they vary mostly by size. The large, elongated variety with green or gray-green striped rind and pink flesh is the most popular. These average 15 to 35 pounds.

The many shiny black seeds scattered throughout the sweet flesh have starred in seed- wash before use

spitting contests at picnics for generations. But due to high demand, the majority of watermelons grown today are seedless. These were invented over 50 years ago, and are not the result of genetic engineering, but rather hybridization, which is the crossing of two different types of watermelons. They usually have some small, soft white seeds, which are perfectly safe to eat. These round or oblong melons weigh in at 10 to 25 pounds.

There are also petite round “personal watermelons” that range from 1 to 7 pounds, and their thinner rinds can mean more flesh per pound. Hollow them out for a compostable serving bowl. Yellow and orange-fleshed watermelons lack the lycopene of red-fleshed watermelon, but they bring unique color to the table. These weigh 10 to 30 pounds.

Wedges of deliciously juicy watermelon are always a great snack or dessert. But you can also use them in many sweet and savory ways: Add chunks in a salad, use it as the gluten-free base for an appetizer, make a dessert “pizza” or Italian ice, or you can even use the rind in stirfries, such as in the following recipes, which are courtesy of the Watermelon Board.

Watermelon Juice

To make juice, cut watermelon into cubes, blend in a blender or food processor, and strain. You will need 2½ cups of cubes for about 2 cups of strained juice. (1⁄4 of a seedless watermelon, which is about the same yield as a mini watermelon, will give you about 8 cups of cubes that equals 4 cups of unstrained juice and about 33⁄4 cups strained juice.)

Watermelon Italian Ice

This Italian-inspired ice is a version of Italian granita and is a blend of watermelon, sugar, ice, and flavoring. Try a taste of an Italian summer!

Watermelon Rind Stir Fry

The next time you buy a whole watermelon, reserve the watermelon rind for this ingenious recipe! The rind will soften and quickly absorb the flavor of your sauce.

Cut these out and use the recipes on the reverse side to make creative dishes with watermelon.

Watermelon Canapes

Who needs bread with this quick and easy appetizer that can be made hours ahead of your event?

Sweet Watermelon Pizza

The hardest part of making this sweet pizza is deciding what toppings to use. Healthy enough for breakfast and sweet enough for dessert, this watermelon pizza will quickly make its way into your weekly meal rotation.

Watermelon Rind Stir Fry

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 cups watermelon rind, julienned (white part only, from about 1⁄2 of seedless watermelon)

1 cup julienned carrots

1⁄2 cup chives, cut into 3-inch pieces

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Watermelon Italian Ice

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, minced

1⁄2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1⁄4 cup mint leaves

1⁄4 cup cilantro leaves

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Heat sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the watermelon rind and carrots and stir-fry, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Let sit over high heat for 1 additional minute without stirring.

2. Add the chives and stir to combine.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger.

4. Pour the sauce over the watermelon rind and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.

5. Transfer to a serving dish. Add the basil, cilantro, and mint, tossing to combine.

6. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve as a side dish.

Sweet Watermelon Pizza

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

1 watermelon round cut into 1-inch thick (for crust)

Shredded coconut

Greek yogurt of choice

Mint

Berries of choice (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)

Slivered almonds

1. Spread yogurt to cover watermelon, leaving room to hold the rind.

2. Sprinkle watermelon pizza with coconut, mint, berries and almond toppings as desired.

Variation: To make a savory watermelon pizza, cut a watermelon round 1-inch thick for the “crust.” In a small bowl, mix some goat cheese and 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream to make it spreadable. Spread goat cheese mixture to cover watermelon, leaving room to hold the rind. Place prosciutto, then greens of your choice for toppings as desired. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with pepper to taste.

4 cups chopped watermelon

1⁄2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mint leaves (optional) watermelon fun fact

1. Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a shallow pan and place in freezer.

2. When the liquid is almost frozen (about 1½ to 2 hours), remove from freezer, scoop into blender, and gently blend or place in a large bowl and whip for about 1 minute.

3. Place in 4 serving bowls and return to the freezer for ½ hour or longer. Remove from freezer and let sit for 10 minutes, then serve with a garnish of mint leaves, if you like.

The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred about 5,000 years ago in Egypt and is depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on walls of their ancient buildings. Watermelons were often placed in the burial tombs of kings to nourish them in the afterlife.

Watermelon Canapes

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

12 1¼ x 3-inch seedless watermelon rectangles, ¾-inch thick

1 cup tapenade (olive pâté)

61⁄2 ounces crumbled herbed goat cheese

1. Place the watermelon rectangles close together in a tight row on a work surface or a piece of waxed paper.

2. Spread the tops of the watermelon slices evenly with the tapenade.

3. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the tapenade.

4. Arrange the canapés on a serving tray.

Variation: To make a cheesy cucumber topping, mix ¾ cup diced cucumber, ¾ cup feta cheese, and some optional diced watermelon with 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place mixture atop watermelon rectangles and drizzle with balsamic glaze, if desired.