I've just finished eating a big chunk of my very first watermelon of the year - the first of many that will be devoured throughout the long, hot summer days ahead. Ah, what a delight is this cold, crispy, juicy, sweet fruit. This glorious creation was designed specifically for hot weather. It is THE perfect summer food. Watermelons are available all year round in the grocery store, but its existence has no meaning outside of the hot summer months. I would even go so far to say that it probably isn't healthy to eat watermelon during cold weather. Watermelon was designed to work on the body to combat heat. And our bodies function differently during warm weather than during cold weather. It seems counterproductive to eat this fruit during the winter. I go by what my body tells me and my body couldn't care less about watermelon from September through April.
Watermelon has some interesting properties. For example, I will get a bad stomach ache if I eat watermelon on an empty stomach. Nothing else does that to me. I don't know why this is but it is. And drinking a glass of ice water will not cool down my body like eating a cold slice of watermelon - my whole body feels like it's cooled down from within. I also imagine that there is no purer form of water than the water that is contained in a watermelon.
I prefer to buy the small, seedless varieties. The meat is sweet throughout, like the heart of the big watermelons, with no seeds to mess with. They also take up much less space in the fridge. I am very picky and will take my sweet time when selecting fruits and vegetables, so I'm thumping and sniffing and squeezing all over the produce department. But watermelons, and melons in general, can be tricky. Sometimes I will get a dud. That is, it's not very sweet or the meat is grainy or mushy. Those are the kind that are perfect for the blender. Just fill up the blender with ice and chunks of watermelon, blend until it's all completely pureed. You have a delicious, sweet and refreshing summer drink.
Speaking of watermelons and drinks... I used to vacation quite often in the Mexican seaside resort towns - mostly Puerto Vallarta. I met and became friends with the owner of the hotel I was staying at the first time I went to Puerto Vallarta and from then on was treated like a queen by the whole staff whenever I'd be there. And PV is a short flight from Dallas so a quick 3-day trip was always a welcome change from inland life - although I'd usually extend my trips to a week or more. Once I stayed more than two weeks, lazing around the beach, playing tennis, drinking, eating fresh seafood. Damn, it was always hard to make myself return to reality. And being fluent in Spanish is definitely an advantage. The Mexicans loved me. Mexicans are wonderful people when they stay in Mexico - where they frickin' belong. As I was saying, the drinks... they make this drink in a large, hollowed-out watermelon shell and fill it with all kinds of alcohols and fruit juices. It has pretty things floating in it and four straws sticking out of it. A very fun and sociable drink, indeed, and you don't need to be at a seaside resort to enjoy it.
Watermelon rinds are edible too...but only if you're a horse. I would always share my watermelon with my horsey. After I'd finish off my part, I'd feed her the rinds. Those huge jaws had no problem crunching down the rinds and she loved it. Life was really good then, almost like a dream, when I think back on it.
Anyway, from now until the end of August, my fridge will not be without a watermelon sitting inside of it. And those of you who don't like watermelon or don't bother with it, well, you're just weird. There is nothing not to like about watermelon! Oh, and I know some people who will put salt on their watermelon. That's pretty weird too.
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