Spiking watermelons

[col klink]

I have an upcoming "White Trash Party" and one of the things I'm planning on bringing is a spiked watermelon. The first time I tried spiking one I just cut a whole large enough to handle the mouth of the bottle. Nothing happened in the span of an hour so and I got restless. What my roomate and I finally did was get a syringe and just force the vodka in. This worked well for the first 5 or so injections but subsequent ones left us with vodka squirting out the holes! The quick and easy remedy was to insert toothpicks into the news injections. After we drained the bottle of vodka, there was approximately 50 or 60 toothpicks sticking out, looking like the spawn of Hellraiser.

So how do you spike your watermelons? For my next one I'm probably going to use light rum instead of vodka but I'm also entertaining the idea of using tequila and triple sec as well.

Another question, how do you eat your spiked watermelons? We basically ended up just slicing portions off until only a boat was left and then had a community shot glass that we just dipped into the watermelon boat. Not the most sanitary solution but it worked and we were all sloshed enough not to care.

[Schielke]

Everclear...

[carswell]

In high school, a bunch of us kids would clandestinely spike melons and take them with us to no-adult "beach" parties at our favourite swimming hole, a cool, spring-fed pond well off the beaten path. This was the procedure we followed:

1. Float the melon in a tub and note which side is "up."

2. Cut a deep, inverted pyramid-shaped plug out of the centre of the up side. Remove and eat most of the flesh from the plug. If necessary, deepen the hole.

3. Fill the hole with whatever spirit you're using (our default was tequila). Reinsert the plug. Set melon aside and let the booze diffuse.

5. Repeat, if desired.

6. Reinsert the plug a final time. Secure with duct tape.

7. Refrigerate.

8. Float melon in pond until ready to eat. Pour off juice for drinking. Slice melon as usual and serve.

The Larousse Gastro has a recipe I've always meant to try: pastèque à la provençale. Surprisingly similar to the above except you cut the plug out of the stem end (around the stalk), dig a deepish hole, fill the hole with Tavel rosé instead of hard stuff, and seal the reinserted plug with wax. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, remove the plug, pour off and strain the wine, cut the melon into slices, and serve with the wine. (Note that pastèques are generally smaller (6-11 lbs) and often rounder than North American watermelons.) More Euro- than white-trash but probably tasty, and a great potential use for an often hot and blowsy wine.

Edited July 10, 2003 by carswell (log)

[Schielke]

I bet you would have good results with a longer, shallow plug than a short deep one. That way the booze would distribute more evenly. But perhaps I am crazy.

Ben

[Al_Dente]

Being that I was a good boy until about 18, I never got around to the spiked watermelon concept. However, if you or the party hosting the party have a pool, you must experience this watermelon memory of mine (legal disclaimer: I'm not responsible for any drownings that may result in this). Get a big ol watermelon, a big ol pool (cement pond), and a big ol jar of vaseline. Grease that melon up, and throw it in the middle of the pool with two opposing teams on each side. Each team dives in, and drives the melon rugby-like, to the other side for the score. It's more fun than a greasy watermelon in a pool!

[pixelchef]

You've lead a bizarre life Al, but one that I envy.

[tissue]

What kind of liquor are you supposed to use?

Do most people agree on vodka?

[col klink]

What kind of liquor are you supposed to use?

Do most people agree on vodka?

Vodka is the tradition liquor of choice. But I'm willing to bet that light rum would taste even better since it already tastes better with most fruit juices, especially sweet ones.

[fifi]

Col Klink... I will be watching this thread with great interest for ideas for an upcoming event. I have just been to the liquor store to investigate some libations for some recipes. There are a lot of flavored rums and vodkas out there and I am trying to think of how some of those would pair with watermelon... coconut, vanilla, orange? Then there are the various spiced rums, dark rums... hmmm. I do agree with you on the rum direction.

[col klink]

I'd stay away from the flavored rums if I were you, they're only 40 proof. That's just not enough alcohol.

Um, for my tastes.

[tommy]

i take a martini glass and fill it almost to the top with vodka. then i add some watermelon juice. i think it's basically the same thing you're looking for, but a lot easier.

al dente, that's the funniest god damned thing i've read all month.

[KatieLoeb]

In my delinquent youth we were known to have occasionally injected vodka into oranges with a syringe for portable yet innocuous looking Screwdrivers.

I've always just cut out a plug as deep as the center of the watermelon in the middle of the fruit lengthwise with one of those gardening tool thingies or a biscuit cutter and then dig with a spoon a bit. Drain as much juice as falls out when you flip it over to leave space for the watermelon "cells" to soak up more alcohol like a sponge. Then you flip the bottle over into the hole and leave it for as long as it takes to soak up said alcohol of choice. We usually started these a day ahead... I told you we were delinquents

I think flavored rums or vodkas have a lot of potential for this application. Vanilla, currant or raspberry vodka would be tasty. Dark rum, spiced rum or even pineapple or lemon rum could be tasty too. Ginger infused vodka sounds really good to me!

You'll have to try them all and report back...

[col klink]

Katie, you're right that the flavor combinations of different rums would work well, my only beef was lack of alcoholic strength. But I just came up with an idea that circumvent that:

Use 151 as well!

[Schielke]

I think that most of the flavored rums are just shy in alcohol content of straight up regular whitebread rum. Perhaps one percentage or so. What kind of rum do you normally drink Klink? Most rum, however, that you would find in an old school distillery will strip your teeth.

Ben

[fresco]

Cormac McCarthy's novel, Suttree, includes a character who goes to jail for "spiking" watermelons:

"Suttree has abandoned his wealthy family and his intellectual past to wander the slums of Knoxville like some latterday Leopold Bloom. He encounters spirits domitable and indomitable alike: hermits, drunks, thieves, bullies, prostitutes, transvestites, blind men, grifters, preachers, gravediggers, mussel harvesters, parasites, innkeepers, and a witch, even a youngster with an unnatural attraction to watermelons."

[Rachel Perlow]

I've always just cut out a plug as deep as the center of the watermelon in the middle of the fruit lengthwise with one of those gardening tool thingies or a biscuit cutter and then dig with a spoon a bit.  Drain as much juice as falls out when you flip it over to leave space for the watermelon "cells" to soak up more alcohol like a sponge.  Then you flip the bottle over into the hole and leave it for as long as it takes to soak up said alcohol of choice.  We usually started these a day ahead...   I told you we were delinquents 

After digging in a little with a spoon, how about using a bamboo skewer to poke several holes in different directions into the flesh? Drain out juice, add alcohol.

[KatieLoeb]

I've always just cut out a plug as deep as the center of the watermelon in the middle of the fruit lengthwise with one of those gardening tool thingies or a biscuit cutter and then dig with a spoon a bit.  Drain as much juice as falls out when you flip it over to leave space for the watermelon "cells" to soak up more alcohol like a sponge.  Then you flip the bottle over into the hole and leave it for as long as it takes to soak up said alcohol of choice.  We usually started these a day ahead...   I told you we were delinquents 

After digging in a little with a spoon, how about using a bamboo skewer to poke several holes in different directions into the flesh? Drain out juice, add alcohol.

Rachel:

Have I told you lately how much I admire your keen mind...

[KatieLoeb]

Katie, you're right that the flavor combinations of different rums would work well, my only beef was lack of alcoholic strength. But I just came up with an idea that circumvent that:

Use 151 as well!

And you're just a very disturbed man! But I love the way your mind works...

[coolranch]

Being that I was a good boy until about 18, I never got around to the spiked watermelon concept. However, if you or the party hosting the party have a pool, you must experience this watermelon memory of mine (legal disclaimer: I'm not responsible for any drownings that may result in this). Get a big ol watermelon, a big ol pool (cement pond), and a big ol jar of vaseline. Grease that melon up, and throw it in the middle of the pool with two opposing teams on each side. Each team dives in, and drives the melon rugby-like, to the other side for the score. It's more fun than a greasy watermelon in a pool!

I've done that! Unfortunately, you're eventually left with a thin film of grease in the pool. ewwwwwwwwwww. Pretty 'narly