Watermelon - The Coolest Sweet in Town Summer and watermelon go together like peas and carrots! We get the triple whammy of burning sunshine, relentless heat and dripping humidity. Everyone looks for a way to stay cool while being reminded to stay hydrated. To me, this means diving into some watermelon for sweet relief. Lime is a great complement for watermelon. The two f lavors contrast deliciously in a simple summer side dish or dessert of a bowl of watermelon sprinkled with lime zest. Many people, especially in the South, salt their watermelon. If you have been told to cut down on salt, try lime. It has the same effect. A dash of balsamic vinegar on watermelon is also a great contrast. It totally transforms the watermelon. You can either sprinkle the vinegar over a bowl of watermelon or reduce the vinegar to a syrup by boiling it. This is also good with ice cream. Speaking of ice cream ~ vanilla
ice cream and watermelon are surprisingly good together. Cut a wedge of watermelon and top it with the ice cream. It is also good with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Melons are showing up at the farmer’s markets and produce stands. Here are some guidelines for picking the perfect watermelon: · Look for the yellow patch on the bottom where it has been sitting on the ground. If it is a creamy yellow color, it’s ripe. · Whack the melon with your thumb. It should sound deep. A dull sound means it’s not ready yet. · Look at the stem. It should be brown, indicating the watermelon 55