The Fresh Factor: Watermelons
Juicy and incredibly hydrating, watermelon makes summer so much sweeter. This fresh produce heavyweight rules the hot summer months and is a kitchen counter mainstay for good reason.
The Packer and Healthy Family Project have teamed up to share some of our favorite advice on how to select the right watermelon, top tricks for preparing the behemoth melon and favorite recipes for enjoying the fruit synonymous with summer.
How to select the perfect watermelon
First things first, it can be a little intimidating when choosing the perfect watermelon to take home. The large fruit is an investment in time and money, so it pays off to be choosy when selecting a watermelon.
Related news: Ripe or not? Solving the perfect melon puzzle
The National Watermelon Promotion Board breaks it down into three basics steps in its approachable how-to video.
First, look at the watermelon and confirm that it is free of cracks, soft spots and bruises.
Second, pick the watermelon up. Does it feel heavy? Watermelon is over 90% water so it should feel heavy for its size.
Third, turn the watermelon over and find the “ground spot” or the buttery yellow oval on the bottom of a watermelon that indicates where the watermelon sat on the ground as it ripened.
Summer melon favorites
Once you’ve picked the perfect melon, it’s time to take it home and break it open. Watermelon is an incredibly versatile fruit — it can be prepared with no fuss as a casual snack, enjoyed straight off the cutting board in slices that include the rind or cubed in a simple fruit salad.
For more adventurous watermelon treats, it pays to get creative and experiment with this juicy fruit. Watermelon can make the leap from sweet to savory with the help of lime juice, peppers, mint or salty cheeses. An unexpected summer salad of watermelon and feta with a simple dressing of lime, mint and a grind of pepper is a Deborah Madison-inspired favorite.
“This is a sweet-salty-tart fruit salad that’s enormously refreshing — and quite surprising,” says Madison in her James Beard award-winning cookbook, “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.”
Not only is watermelon good in sweet-savory salads and even cold soups, but it is a foundational ingredient to delightfully bright smoothies, popsicles and even cocktails.
One of Ina Garten’s summer drink staples is a watermelon cosmopolitan, she writes in her bestselling cookbook, “Go-to Dinners”.
“[This] delicious variation on a Cosmo has become my go-to summer drink because everyone loves this refreshing blend of watermelon puree spiked with a hint of fresh lime juice plus vodka,” Garten writes.
Beyond basic watermelon varieties
Watermelon cultivars and varieties go far beyond the basic seeded, seedless, mini and yellow and orange varieties. For the adventurous, a little research and hunting goes a long way to secure an heirloom variety watermelon that boasts exceptional flavor along with a captivating history.
Two swoon-worthy heirloom varieties highlighted in Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste are worth seeking out in particular: moon and stars and Bradford watermelons.
“A magical melon, the dark green and yellow speckled skin of the moon and stars watermelon evokes a living galaxy while its happenstance return suggests a storybook ending. Graced with white seeds and a slightly ridged, thick rind, this watermelon can reach up to forty pounds in weight when thump-ready for eating,” says Peter Henderson in the Ark of Taste database entry.
Beyond its captivating appearance, moon and stars watermelons are prized for their exceptional sweetness and flavor.
“When heirloom aficionados such as Roger Yepsen and Benjamin Watson describe Moon and Stars, the discussion always returns to flavor, given that this pinkish red variant is extraordinarily sweet and flavorful,” writes Henderson. “But flavor is not the entire attraction of this peculiar melon: it is legendary for many reasons.”
Another notable watermelon, the Bradford watermelon, while not suited as a commercial bestseller due to its sizeable heft — clocking in at 30 pounds when fully grown — it’s prized for its flavor and storied history in the South. The Bradford watermelon came into existence in South Carolina in the 1840-50s and the variety has been guarded by southern seed breeders and farmers because of its unique flavor and lineage with the Bradford family.
Preparing and storing watermelons
If you plan on enjoying your melon, rind and all, give your watermelon a quick rinse with soap before preparing to remove any field dirt or debris from transport. A watermelon can keep on a countertop for at least a week but, once you cut into the juicy interior, refrigerate and plan to use within 3 days.
Learn more about watermelons on The Healthy Family Project.
More from The Fresh Factor
What is your favorite way to enjoy watermelon? Share it with one of The Fresh Factor’s social media posts or drop us a line at news@thepacker.com.
Next month, The Fresh Factor is going to put a spotlight on XX and check out other fresh produce highlights from the series such as asparagus, beets, kale and artichoke.
