With the coming of summer and the onset of the 100++ degree days for awhile, I thought it was time to break out some of my favorite watermelon recipes. Listed below you will find ten of my favorites, that are easy to make and fun to enjoy on these hot days in the Arizona desert, or anywhere for that matter. I wanted to show you all that watermelon was just not something to enjoy over the July 4th holiday weekend. All of the recipes listed call for the watermelon to be seedless, so if the kids are bored send them outside by the pool with their own piece and all the extra seeds and let them have their own little war, while you put together some wonderfully light and refreshing meals and cocktails.
All that being said the key to the above recipes being nothing short of fantastic is the picking of the right watermelon. Since we can't cut them open in the store to see what the inside looks like, I have listed the following steps to hopefully allow you to choose the ripest watermelon you can.
1-LOOK: Your watermelon should be firm, symmetrical and free of major scars or bruises. Minor scratches are okay, since that is the purpose of the thick rind. Ripe watermelons should also be dark green in color.
2-LIFT: The ripest watermelons have the most water. And since watermelons are about 92% water, your watermelon should be relatively heavy for its size.
3-TURN: Turn your watermelon over and look at the bottom. It should have a creamy yellow spot, or "ground spot". This is where the watermelon sat on the ground and soaked up all its sun. If this spot is white or greenish in color, chances are it was picked too soon and is not as ripe as it should be.
Of course there is always the old stand by "tapping" test to see if it is ripe and ready to eat. And if anyone out there can explain to me how that works with any degree of certainty, then please let me know, because I never seem to get it right by "tapping".
I've never understood the tapping either. But it is fun to watch. :) - J
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