If Your Watermelon Seems A Little Boring, Try Salt

Categories: Whimsy

Flickr Watermelon.jpg
Flickr
My old man taught me a few very important things. He taught me how to swing a hammer and square four pieces of lumber, even if they were a rectangle. He taught me that mayonnaise was the best condiment possible for hamburgers and that it was great to slather in excess on freshly sliced summer tomatoes.

And he taught me you should always salt your watermelon.

Abuse of sodium and cholesterol were lessons in my home, and still to this day I can't imagine a slice of ruby-red watermelon without the briny bite of salt. Morton's iodized table salt was in the shaker on the table of my youth but now I prefer the prickly salinity of Kosher. Lightly applied, the result is a warm weather dance of sweet and savory with the floral notes of of summer's iconic fruit dancing in the background.

I haven't seen much watermelon on menus here in Dallas yet, but during other summers I've seen this flavor combo carried through in other exciting dishes. Watermelon pickles take the the flavor play to the extreme and enhance it further with vinegar for acidity. I once had pressed watermelon (the practice carefully removes water, concentrating flavors and texture) served in a tiny salad with goat cheese. A watermelon gazpacho added the element of heat from fiery chilies to the classic flavor we all know well.

For all those frilly preparations, though, my favorite is still the same one I saw on plate after plate growing up. A massive, flat slice of simple watermelon on a plate, lightly seasoned with salt and consumed with intensity.

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13 comments
idontwantaname
idontwantaname

a square is technically also a rectangle, although no one is confused about what you meant. 

Craigley
Craigley

Way too much Lead in those for me. 

Craigley
Craigley

Same holds true for pickles!

mmarks
mmarks

Salmon patties are fabulous with horseradish.

mmarks
mmarks

Noooo. Fried Kosher salami on gluey white bread with yellow mustard. Heaven.

mmarks
mmarks

My father (may he rest in peace) always salted his watermelon. I never tried it, but I also never understood it, either. What's the purpose? Watermelon is meant to be sweet and I like it exactly as it is.

86 the mayo
86 the mayo

yes that was a strange remark. and biff was DEAD SERIOUS

Guest
Guest

Your opinion, biff and little Elmer. I've lived in Texas all my life. Whether you prefer mayo over mustard probably has more to do with who prepared those first burgers for you and whether they put mayo or mustard on them than what part of the country you were born. I prefer mayo for burgers. What a strange remark -"your whole life is a lie."

Craigley
Craigley

So your burgers were made by mayo loving yankees.  It's OK.  You don't have to leave Texas.  Yet.

Craigley
Craigley

Biff is dead-on and I agree with him 110%.

Phelps
Phelps

Trick I learned in Vegas -- put lavender on your watermelon.  It's great, and salt still makes it better.

Yum
Yum

And it always has to be Hunts tomato sauce. Onions are optional. Yum!

Don't Bend Over
Don't Bend Over

A good ole fried boloney sandwich on soft whitebread you can ball up in your hand like play dough.  Don't forget to split the boloney slice as it starts to puff up like a flying saucer.  Nothing better!

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