Watermelon Fun Facts to Kick-Start July

There is nothing better than biting into a watermelon to kick start the summer fun. If the past few months have taken a toll on your stress level, as well as your waistline, a fresh, healthy snack is only a farm stand away. I have found myself indulging in a few too many sugary treats lately and I can no longer reasonably rationalize my bad habit. In honor of July, I decided to replace my junk food with watermelon. I am sharing some facts about one of my favorite summer foods to liven up your day. Since we are all wearing our masks and social distancing as much as humanly possible, looking at a beautiful picture of watermelon or appreciating a few tidbits, is a welcome change. Even better, order a watermelon from your grocer and dig in!

The First Bite

Slice open a sweet watermelon, cut it into long fries and eat it with your fingers. My grandpa used to put me in his car and drive me far off into the country (which could easily have been a few blocks away, I wouldn’t have known the difference I was so young!) and we would find a truck full of watermelons and a nice man who would give us each a little sample. This man would drive in from the farm and set up a small fruit stand on the roadside. My heart would sing when I saw the table with colorful fruits and vegetables, but most happily, the truck bed chock full of watermelons packed sky-high.

My grandpa would proceed to thump them, push on them, smell them and then let me make the final choice among his pre-chosen 2 or 3. We would drive home and cut it open and I can still remember the taste and the feeling of the juice running down my face. My fingers were sticky but I didn’t need a napkin because I had my shirt and shorts to wipe them off. My favorite part was not the pink flesh but the rind, which he refused to let me eat. In later years I had a friend who would make pickled watermelon rinds and I was in heaven. I love them to this day!

How to Pick a Perfect Watermelon

According to watermelon.org, there are several simple steps one must take to get the perfect melon. Find a watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. A watermelon is 92% water, so lift it to determine if it is solid. Turn it over and look for the creamy yellow spot where it has been sitting in the ground and ripened in the sun for approximately three months. Avoid thumping, slapping, knocking or kicking a watermelon for ripeness. If you must thump, listen for a “ping,” which means the melon isn’t ready yet, or a “pong” for a ripe watermelon.

The watermelon’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus, cousin to the cucumber, squash and pumpkin. In China and Japan, watermelon is a popular hostess gift. China ranks number 1 in the worldwide production of watermelon; the US is ranked number 7.

To grow a good watermelon, you must have a combination of bees, sun and water. Honeybees pollinate the watermelon, a vine grows and spreads to approximately 8 feet, and within three months, a watermelon is born. I’m sure it’s a bit more scientific than this but this is the “birds and the bees” version I am sharing for the sake of time.  

A Melon or Berry

Brace yourself. Watermelons are berries. For that matter, so are cantaloupes, cucumbers, squash and pumpkins. Now you have something interesting to talk about at the dinner table tonight when enjoying this sweet, red, fleshy treat.

Watermelon Rind Pickles

Watermelon rind pickles are exactly what they sound like – the pickled rind of the watermelon. I have had my share and one of my favorite recipes is by Alton Brown. I’ve never made them myself but I have a friend who has experimented with several recipes and I was fortunate enough to be the judge at a taste testing. I will gladly come to your house if you ever need a taste tester—I love the allspice and pepper flakes combination.

Many Ways to Serve a Watermelon

The choices are endless. Slice open a sweet watermelon, cut it into long fries and eat it with your fingers. Or you can grill them, freeze them or make a slush. You can quarter them, infuse them with alcohol, add them to a salad and sprinkle feta cheese with arugula. You can dust them with chili and lime salt, dip in Greek yogurt and so much more. The only rule when it comes to eating watermelon is that it is meant to be enjoyed.

You might also like How to Maintain Strong Friendships During COVID-19. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.