Watermelon

You know when someone asks you “what is your favorite food”? Well, I don’t have to think twice to answer that. Usually people would reply by naming one or two prepared dishes, not me; my favorite food of all times is watermelon. That is it; no need for cooking, baking or grilling it outside, just a big piece of fresh and juicy watermelon says it all!
It is my favorite fruit, food, dessert, I love watermelon, especially the sweet ones we got during summer, no wonder I love this season so much. A big hunk of cold watermelon is the most refreshing treat during the summer days, you grab yourself a piece and get prepared, because if it is a good one it may get messy.
When I was young, at my grandmother’s house, we would always go eat our fruits in the backyard, just so that we would not mess up the kitchen too much. The fruits in Brazil were the best ones, always ripe and juicy, and were usually served whole (in case of mangoes, oranges, etc), or in big slices and chunks as it is the case with watermelon and other bigger fruits. The juices would run through our hands and arms (mangoes were the best for this!), and there we were, sitting outside, savoring the best and sweetest fruits, and having the most fun together by licking ourselves and spiting out the seeds… I did have fun when growing up!
Since then Watermelon has always been my favorite, although nowadays I eat it in the kitchen and usually in cut up pieces… not so much fun, but it is not the same without my grandmother’s backyard anyway.
I love summer and go through a few whole watermelons during the season, and believe it or not, I eat most of it all by myself! Matheus also likes watermelon, but at the end of the season he starts to get tired of it, well, I don’t!
Watermelon is not something that goes well with everything, and is hardly a food that appears in many different dishes. Nowadays I have seen it used in savory salads, paired with green leaves and salty cheeses (such as feta, or goat cheese), but until recently it was mostly consumed as is, or in fruit juices.
I like my watermelon pure and simple, or blended with mint leaves to make a refreshing summer drink, those are my two favorite ways of having it. Nothing beats a good piece of watermelon to me!
Today I actually mixed up watermelon with a cantaloupe melon that we got from a friend and have been hanging around for a while (screaming to be used up!). I made little balls of them, using a melon baler, and then tossed with some sugar and mint leaves, yum!
Super refreshing, no work at all (besides balling them, which was actually fun!), a great summer treat that kids and adults will certainly enjoy. Not to mention that watermelon is very healthy and good for you too!
Ana

Watermelon and Cantaloupe “Fruit Salad”
Watermelon balls
Cantaloupe balls
Sugar, or sweetener of choice, to taste
Mint leaves to taste

Toss everything together and sweeten to your taste. Leave in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavors can meld. Serve cold!
Note: you can also use sugar syrup or honey as sweeteners for this, both pairs up nicely with the mint. However, depending on the ripeness of your fruit you may not need to sweeten it at all!

Yummm!!!