Yellow Watermelon

Another harbinger of Summer is watermelon… At the supermarkets over the weekend there were these seedless yellow watermelons that were superb. Perhaps I just got lucky but the one I purchased was absolutely sweet, flavorful and delicious. Also referred to as Golden watermelons, they are typically described as having a less intense flavor than a good red watermelon but I found this particular specimen to be just as good as the reds I have eaten recently. At P40 a kilo, it was somewhat pricey – a large watermelon cost P210 – and could be divided into 12 generous slices or roughly P17 per slice. Most adults and kids I know love eating watermelon. If you get resistance from the kids, have them eat it without using their hands… they love it and they get the nutrients, so who cares?

Despite the sweetness, watermelons are actually made up mostly of water so they are relatively low in calories… They have some vitamin B and C. When buying looking for a nice waxy sheen on the skin, tap gently and look for a solid sound as opposed to a hollow ring, and pick the melons that appear to be heavier for their size. These particular seedless watermelons were perfect for “balling” thus the photo above. If you want to add a sophisticated touch to this treatment, add a flavored sugar syrup made up of sugar, water, lemon zest, star anise, etc. Garnish with fresh mint. Watermelon is also great served straight. Just chill, slice and provide lots of napkins. Watermelon rind (excluding the skin) can also be made into a relish. If you have too much, chop up the melon and throw slices in a juicer or blender to make a yummy and unusually yellow watermelon shake.