The quintessential fruit of summer is surely watermelon. The juicy, sweet red flesh screams summer picnics and beach days. It is hard to resist buying the biggest one you can when prices are low, that is, until you look at the size of your fridge.
But don’t let that put you off. Buy a big one! These fun and simple ideas put it to use quickly and efficiently. The entire watermelon is useable – you don’t have to waste a bit.
The obvious: eat it as is. In the heat of the summer there is nothing better and more thirst-quenching. But we all hit a wall when we finally tire of eating it as is. Here are some other options.
Make a salad. I was a slow adopter of this strange and wonderful salad. This combination of cut-up watermelon, crumbled salty feta and finely sliced mint is unbelievable. Adjust to your personal taste and drizzle with olive oil.
Blend it or juice it. Sometimes watermelons can be less than stellar. If you bite into a watermelon that is not sweet enough or is too watery, cube it up and toss it in the freezer. When frozen, whizz it in the blender or processor with some sweetener to taste (sugar or stevia) and a touch of mint if desired. Watermelon makes the best slushie money can buy!
Pickle it. Before you go ahead and compost that melon, peel the outer green and save the white rind. Make refrigerator pickles to serve with meat and cheese or for picnics. It takes a few minutes of prep for an interesting addition to meals. Note: this only tends to work better with large melons, smaller ones generally don’t have enough rind.
Rub it on your face. I’m not kidding here. My sister-in-law told me that they rubbed watermelon rinds on their faces when she lived in hot and humid Hong Kong. I wasn’t sure if this was some sort of strange initiation into the family, but turns out, it is true. Not only does it cool you down, those fruit acids are good for your skin. So when you are done eating the watermelon, rub that rind on your face.
For more tips on how to make the most of that melon, visit Watermelon 101.