cravings

Perhaps I mentioned how much I am loving watermelon right now? It is the perfect summer fruit, and you may consider me an authority capable of making outlandish, all-encompassing calls such as this. My palette is sharpened by pregnancy, trust. (Other Best-Things-Ever: M&M McFlurries, coconut popsicles, ground beef & cheddar scramble, chicken-apple sausage dipped in mustard. You're welc.)

Anyway Jordan and I have been enjoying so many, many watermelons lately, I decided to try to do something with them other than wedge-slice and enjoy. I know. You just never know what kind of tomfoolery will happen around here.

Sidenote: (intended to be quick but may be one of those lengthy deviations...) I am constantly saying "Jordan and I" when it comes to those fruity foods we enjoy, and not "Sean, Jordan and I." I'll tell you why and get ready for the most appalling statement you'll ever read on a blog: Sean hates fruit. "What??" you may ask, and then proceed down the list of fruits that are impossible to hate. I assure you, we've hit every one. "Well what about apples? Those aren't super fruity." No. "He's gotta like raspberries." No. "Plums, surely?" No."What about -"

No fruit. If we're being technical, Sean loves wine and pumpkin pie, both derivatives of fruit. But let's face it: wine doesn't taste like grapes and pumpkin pie doesn't taste like pumpkin. And does anyone else think it's dumb that pumpkin is considered a fruit?

Anyway. I remember reading somewhere, probably in one of my precious Better Homes & Gardens, of a watermelon salad with honey and mint. I googled that exact phrase, and couldn't find what I was looking for without a bunch of other ingredients I didn't have. So I decided to make my own.

^ Picasa Photo and I had a fancy date ^

The following yields enough for pregnant Jess and voracious Jo, with a tad bit left over:

1/2 a personal sized watermelon (you know, those baby ones)*

1/2 small carton of blackberries

approximately 1 tablespoon of honey (I used the raw delicious stuff Sean's aunt gifted us.)

6-8 leaves of mint, depending on your minty preference

the juice of three thin lime wedges (optional)

*I've really started honing my skills as a watermelon picker, so often do I buy them. You probably already know to listen for the hollow ones - which I find only works when I hit a ton of watermelons in a row and listen for hollowness by comparison (yes, I'm that obnoxious one that spanks allll the melons in the produce aisle) - but you should also look for a yellow, flattish spot on one side of the watermelon. This indicates it was allowed to sit and ripen for a spell before being picked.

Chop the mint leaves pretty fine, chunk the watermelon and then just kind of mix it all together. There's really not much process when I make up a recipe. The lime juice was an afterthought thrown into the mix simply because I happened to have a lime. The zip and tang is nice, but I don't consider it necessary, and certainly don't overdo it.

This was wayyy yummy. Jordan attacked all the blackberries first because, honestly, she might have a berry addiction, but in her defense the flavors were very well enhanced by the mint and honey. A tip though: start with cold ingredients. Mine were just-got-back-from-the-store room temp ingredients and watermelon is just eons better chilled. But if you let it sit in the honey and lime, it creates - in my opinion - too much marinade. So just have it all be cold to begin with.

There you go! That was my Rachel Ray for the day(/week/month/really long time). Here, if I'm really gonna commit to the person: "YUM-O!!" (cringe.) Happy summer snacking, "y'all." Oh wait that was more Paula Deen.