We're getting to the time of year when watermelon can go either way -- a great burst of sweet juice or something that tastes vaguely of fruit water. Still, it's the right time to dive in while you've got a better shot at the former than the latter, because as long as there is watermelon on the table, you can hang on to summer.
Picking watermelon can be tricky. You want to avoid bruises and dents, the same as if you were picking apples or tomatoes. A decent tip-off for ripeness involves
the stripes. If the yellow stripes ring the melon, it's not quite ripe. But if the base is yellow or lighter in color, it should be good to go home with you.
Watermelon brings out some of the oddest behavior in the grocery store because of the prevailing wisdom that you can discover if it's ripe by
thumping the side:
"True thump experts say that a perfectly ripe watermelon will 'thump' and the thump will be about a b-flat note," according to watermelonthump.com.
When you're done with your musical training and have selected a watermelon, it's a versatile ingredient. The first thing you should try is a grilled BLW -- a bacon, lettuce and watermelon sandwich, where the watermelon stands in for the tomato. The sweetness of the watermelon combined with the salty bacon is a winner.
Watermelon soup is also a refreshing dish -- cool and sweet. It's been a special menu offering recently at
Cafe Europa. If you've got a watery watermelon it will work well in a cocktail, where you just might want the essence of watermelon.
Frozen watermelon margaritas are never a bad call. You can always add a bit of sweetness with simple syrup or sugar.
[Image via Flickr: vilavelosa]
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