Amazing Watermelon Facts

[Fat Guy]

Lots of watermelon showing up in stores right about now; triggered a bit of a research binge on my part.

Do you know which country is the world's number one watermelon producer?

Go ahead. Guess.

Not only is China the world's leading producer of watermelon, but it is the leader by a factor of fifteen over the number two producer (Turkey, which produces twice as much as number three, Iran).

This information and more available from the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

[tissue]

I had the best watermelon in Taiwan. The flesh was yellow and it was smaller and round.

[Foam Pants]

I grew up near Muscatine, Iowa. Along Muscatine's Mississippi river valley they grow some really great watermelons and musk melons. They are so good they call Muscatine Melon City. It's no wonder watermelon is my favorite food. Seedless watermelon is horrible! I buy big ruby red, seeded watermelons and cut them up. I have earned the title of melon surgeon, when I get finished cutting up watermelon it is guaranteed 90% seed free.

[ballast_regime]

Let's not forget about Japan's watermelon innovation.

Ian Lowe

ballast/regime

[ivan]

I wish there were a word for the inside of a watermellon besides "flesh".

[pixelchef]

Egypt maybe?

[Dave the Cook]

Egypt maybe?

[Fat Guy]

When in doubt, use Yiddish.

Kishkes seems like an excellent word to use to describe the guts of a watermelon.

Also, I've heard this stuff described as the "meat" of the watermelon.

And then there's always, "The inside of the watermelon."

[mixmaster b]

I buy big ruby red, seeded watermelons and cut them up. I have earned the title of melon surgeon, when I get finished cutting up watermelon it is guaranteed 90% seed free.

Foam, can you describe or diagram this teqhnique somehow? Sounds like a good trick.

[guajolote]

I wish there were a word for the inside of a watermellon besides "flesh".

Did you know that the inside of a watermelon is basically a big placenta? Flesh doesn't sound too bad.

[maggiethecat]

Egypt maybe?

Whaa!! I don't get it. Could one/both of you guys PM me and enlighten me...

[Jinmyo]

Egypt maybe?

Whaa!! I don't get it. Could one/both of you guys PM me and enlighten me...

No, post it please. I have no idea either.

[tommy]

"Watermelon -- it's a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face." - Enrico Caruso

i hate watermelon seeds. but i do eat the white ones. that's normal, right?

Edited July 11, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Jason Perlow]

Let's not forget about Japan's watermelon innovation.

Ian Lowe

ballast/regime

An $83 watermelon? Thats insane.

They do look cool though.

[tommy]

Let's not forget about Japan's watermelon innovation.

i'd like to see watermelon in the shape of other fruit. like pears. that would be cool.

[Dave the Cook]

Let's not forget about Japan's watermelon innovation.

i'd like to see watermelon in the shape of other fruit. like pears. that would be cool.

I'd like that, too. Or one you could peel and eat like a banana.

[Dave the Cook]

Egypt maybe?

Whaa!! I don't get it. Could one/both of you guys PM me and enlighten me...

No, post it please. I have no idea either.

ivan wanted a word to use instead of "flesh" to describe the kishkes of the melon. Pixelchef suggested the word "Egypt."

See? It's not funny if you have to explain it. Either you spit on your keyboard or you don't.

[tommy]

another amazing watermelon fact: they go well with vodka in the form of a "martini". very well indeed.

how about softshell watermelons? get 'em just after they molt that pesky rind.

[Rachel Perlow]

As I've already gone through 4 watermelons this summer, and troubleshot both a watermelon ice cream and a watermelon sorbet, here's my accumulated wisdom:

Choosing: If you are buying a whole watermelon, get the kind with seeds, they taste better. Larger with a paler side on the bottom, not green all the way around. When tapped it should sound kind of hollow. No bruises or cracks please.

Wash it!!!! I got so sick last year very soon (and for about 48 hours) after starting a watermelon. Now I always wash the rind with soap and hot water, like it's a dirty pot, before allowing a knife to pass through the rind into the flesh.

Storage: If you are only using a little watermelon at a time, don't hack the whole thing up. Start at one end. Immediately place the rest of the watermelon cut side up in a large bowl and wrap it with several pieces of plastic wrap. The wrap sticks to the bowl better than the fruit's rind, and the juice won't leak out and make a mess of your refrigerator. After the first cut (with the round end), cut slices several inches thick at a time, then re-wrap. By the time you get to the level of the top of the bowl, you should have a piece about the same size as the first piece you cut off the monster - so cut it all up. Store cut cubed watermelon in airtight containers.

Surgery: This is assuming you aren't serving the whole thing at a party, but enjoying it with just your family. Using a long thin-bladed knife (like a carving knife, not a chefs knife) You start at one end, cut about 8 inches off. Cut a slice off the end about an inch thick. Place thicker cut side down and peel like you would any large fruit or vegetable. Get off all the white rind. Pickle or just throw out the rind.

The seeds don't start until an inch or so into the flesh. So, start by cutting nice thick slices from the perimeter of the peeled watermelon chunk on your cutting board. Cut into inch or two cubes and put in a large bowl. This flesh is seed free, but isn't as sweet as the heart, so don't put anything into a storage container until you're finished cutting it all up - you want to evenly distribute the sweeter heart. Your cutting board will need a good wipe at this point.

Now you have the seedier part of the watermelon to deal with. Cut this vertically into quarters. There is another seed free zone in the very center - cube this up and add to your bowl (sneak a piece, this is the very best seed-free part of the watermelon!). Now for the seeds. They appear mostly in rows with gaps in between, so you can cut out additional seed-free sections of this area as well. For the really seedy part you have a decision to make. If you are going to be very picky and get every seed out (I rarely have more than a seed or two in my finished product - 90% seed free? that's for amateurs!), you will end up with some very small pieces of watermelon from this section. If you aren't as picky, just get the all the visible seeds out when you do your first slice (into batons), then cut into cubes. A demitasse or grapefruit spoon are best for getting out the seeds.

For the perfectionist, plan on making a granita or sorbet with this section - it is the tastiest part. If you want to do so, the easiest thing to do is cube, briefly puree in blender then strain the seeds out with a wire mesh sieve. Add a little lemon or lime juice and freeze in an ice cream machine or an ice cube tray with popsicle sticks (or a popsicle mold). If you aren't going to make a frozen dessert, then slice pieces about 1/2 inch thick and use a fork, demitasse, or grapefruit spoon, to get out all the seeds. Cut crosswise a couple inches and add to your bowl. Whatever isn't served immediately should be stored in an airtight container.

Watermelon Popsicle and Granita

(Tupperware® Ice Tups)

[tommy]

at which point do you cut the hole for the neck of the bottle of vodka?

[torakris]

Let's not forget about Japan's watermelon innovation.

Ian Lowe

ballast/regime

An $83 watermelon? Thats insane.

They do look cool though.

not insane, average.

This why the Yamaguchi's didn't buy a single watermelon last year!

[Rachel Perlow]

at which point do you cut the hole for the neck of the bottle of vodka? 

I've never spiked a watermelon. But, if you really want the booze with the fruit, make a sorbet, granita or slushee with the watermelon - easy to add vodka to that!

[gus_tatory]

Rachel--thanks for the watermelon primer--useful, informative!

Kristin--seriously, 83$ an "average" price for a Japanese watermelon? i suppose there's reasons, but at that price, i wouldn't eat watermelon either.

my roomie and i are growing "sugar baby" melons this year, and they're going like gangbusters so far! it's an "icebox" variety of melon like casaba, but black-skinned--they look like a bowling ball in the seed company catalogue.

[Rachel Perlow]

Rachel--thanks for the watermelon primer--useful, informative!

You're welcome. I'm planning on taking step-by-step photos the next time I deal with a watermelon.

[AndrewM]

There was a piece originally from the LA Times in my local paper's food section Wednesday on Watermelon curry (Matira), with a recipe adapted from Great Curries of India by Camellia Panjabi. I will be trying this sometime soon as it sounds odd and tasty and will freak out the kids.