Did you know that the watermelon is the favorite melon of Summer? It far surpasses the cantaloupe and honeydew melons when measured by number of pounds consumed.
Watermelons have been grown as far back as 5,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. It is believed that the watermelon spread through the Mediterranean region on merchant ships. Eventually the watermelon spread to Europe and Asia where China is now the biggest producer of watermelon in the world.
When picking a watermelon at the store or at a market, one good test is how heavy the melon seems. Watermelon is mostly water so a good melon will seem heavy for it’s size. In fact the watermelon is so good at storing water that early explorers used them as canteens. Some other tricks for picking a good watermelon are: look for symmetry of the melon with no dents or cracks. Maybe the most important trick for picking your melon is to look for a creamy yellow spot on the bottom where it was laying on the ground. This indicates that it was sun ripened.
If you want to grow your own watermelon you are going to need a little help from the animal kingdom. Even the best gardeners among us cannot grow watermelons without the honeybee to pollenate the yellow blossom.
Here is a short video with some great tips for growing your own watermelon.
Like so many other things we grow ourselves we get way more of a particular fruit or vegetable at one time than we can possibly use so we are always looking for new recipes. Here are a few that we have come across that look really interesting.
This first idea comes to us from a Thrifty Mom.com. It’s really a clever idea on how to slice your watermelon to be user friendly.
Here is the original post.
This is a great looking salad by See Salt TV.com.
Here is the recipe:
How about this Watermelon Poptini by Snappy Gourmet.com
Here is the recipe.
How about this? Watermelon Mojito Cupcakes by Spicy Southern Kitchen.com
Here is the recipe.
A great way to beat the summer heat is with this watermelon aqua fresca by Alice and Lois.com
Here is their recipe.
Ever tried grilling watermelon? We haven’t. Try this from Watermelon.org
Here’s the recipe.
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere. How about this Watermelon Margarita from Food.com
Here is the recipe:
This is a great looking dish from Taste with the Eyes.com, Crab Salad, Avocado with Lime, Watermelon with Feta & Mint
Here is their recipe.
For a refreshing adult beverage with watermelon try this watermelon mimosa by Laylita.com.
Here is the recipe.
How about this Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade by Gourmande in the Kitchen.com?
Here is the recipe.
Do you have a favorite watermelon recipe? We would love to hear from you. Send us an email or leave a comment.
