Birthday Bash Watermelon

Sylvia just had a birthday. So did Karan, so did Ted. This is the occasion of our Semi- annual Birthday Bash (my father actually started this tradition, so we have to thank him too and say ‘happy birthday Al’!).

A Summer Birthday Bash means salads, grilled things, chilled drinks, cake and watermelon. I really should have a picture of the ‘gang’ on the deck enjoying summer bounty and each other, but a hostess gets busy.

Jim brought this amazing watermelon and I thought that you would like to know how to choose a good one (it’s obvious that Jim did, because this one was delicious… evidenced by my lack of restraint!).

Look for a watermelon that is heavy for it’s size, has yellow under tones and a nice solid resonance when thumped (Jim is musical so he must have known this). Avoid melons that are cracked or have soft spots. This one has seeds. If you don’t want to mess around with seeds, it is possible to buy a ‘seedless’ watermelon. The Japanese bred ‘seedless’ watermelons in the 1930’s; they are actually melons with seeds so small that you don’t realize that you are eating them. Watermelon is a very rich source of antioxidants, more so than tomatoes! Who knew?!

Eat your melon as soon after purchase as possible. If there should be some leftover, store a cut melon in the fridge with clear wrap on the exposed part.

And just in case you find yourself at a birthday bash eating watermelon with nothing interesting to say (impossible though that may be), you can off handedly remark that watermelons are a distant relative of an ancient African vine and that the Egyptians were eating it 5,000 years ago and the Greeks knew of it in the 4th Century BC (do you think that they had birthday pot-lucks?). Such information is sure to enliven any crowd, or at least get the ball rolling for some bad jokes and more melon!

Happy birthday everyone! What a terrific excuse to gather together and share a meal.