Product Review: Watermelons

I love summer. I live in Boston because my family, friends, and life are here but I would really prefer to live in a warmer climate. Therefore, I get very excited when the warm weather arrives each year. Summer has so many wonderful features…heat, sun, flowers, beaches, vacation, summer clothing…and of course summer food.

What comes to mind when you think about eating in the summer? For me, ice cream is the first food, but a close second is watermelon (what else but the staple of almost every cookout?). I loooove watermelon. What is not to like? It is sweet, without being cloying. It provides the perfect balance of food and beverage. It can be eaten at any time of day, and goes well with pretty much any food. I know some people suggest eating them with salt, mint, or feta cheese, but I think any addition (aside from other fresh summer fruit) would ruin them. It’s also fun to eat…I know that most watermelon is seedless these days, eliminating the seed spitting contests, but there is still something fun about biting into a wedge of melon. (Side note: I remember playing a pool competition as a kid…we had races as to which team could get a watermelon coveted in Crisco across the length of the pool the fastest…a very very messy game!)

I come from a family of watermelon lovers. My dad is so into watermelon that he literally buys a whole one practically each week during the summer (usually at Costco) and eats a large wedge most nights after dinner (I’m all in favor of this as it is a healthier choice for him than ice cream). So, I grew up with at least one watermelon in the fridge at almost all times in the summer. There was also often a spare (because really, who doesn’t need a spare watermelon in case of an emergency…like finishing one before the next Costco trip ) and it was often served as a side dish to dinner, or a snack for the beach. Other family members like it too but are reluctant to buy whole watermelons due to the weight to carry and the refrigerator space. So, we take our (Costco- of course) Saran Wrap (still in the business of wrapping our food after about 10 years) and bring chunks when we visit.

Although Costco sells watermelons throughout the year, they are less expensive and bigger during the summer months (roughly May to June). I can’t speak to the quality of the melons off season, because it is assumed in my family that August is pretty much the end of watermelon seasons and (sadly) time to move to apples, oranges, and pears. But during this peak time, we can buy a huge  (would we really expect anything else from Costco?) watermelon for $5-7 (price varies as the summer goes on). Watermelons often go on sale during the summer and it is often possible to purchase them for $4-5 at grocery stores…and I do. But, for consistent watermelon consumption, Costco is the winner.

There are usually tons of them in stock so of course the question is…how does one pick a watermelon? Of course, never wanting to miss a chance to jokingly boast about his fruit-picking prowess (no task is too small to warrant credit, right?), my dad claims that he knows the trick to getting a great watermelon…a large white spot on the underside, indicating that the melon had ripened properly, a heavy weight, and a deep sound when thumped. It is true that, over the past four to five years, every watermelon from Costco has been excellent. Of course his theory…he has skill at picking. My theory…they are all good.

I always find it difficult to describe what foods taste like. Because, really, watermelon tastes like…watermelon. (Another side note, have you noticed that pretty much all watermelon candy tastes the same but nothing like the actual fruit?) So, the best I can do is this…they are generally firm and crisp, sweet but not overwhelmingly sugary, full of water, but not mushy. They tend to be a deep pinky red, indicating the perfect degree of ripeness. I like watermelon very cold, so the best thing is to cut them so that flesh is exposed to the fridge’s coolness and then eat them. Obviously, my family eats them quickly, but I would estimate that they stay very fresh for about 5-7 days, when wrapped properly.

 

Have you bought watermelon at Costco? Have you ever gotten a bad one? As I said, I think they are all good, but do you think there are ways to pick especially good melons?

Do you add anything (e.g., salt) to the watermelon or, like me, do you prefer to eat it plain or with other fruit? Do you ever blend it into a gazpacho or a drink?