Watermelon & Other Seedy Tidbits

Here’s something I’ve noticed this summer at the grocery store: watermelons with seeds — lots of them.

I hosted a family get-together last month and thought it would be fun to get a watermelon like the ones we had as kids. You remember those huge, long monsters that chilled in a river or a cooler before they were carved like summertime’s version of a Thanksgiving turkey? That’s the kind I’m talking about.

Several of the younger folks had never seen a watermelon with seeds. We’ve been eating the tidy, round, seedless ones for years. They’re terrific, and trouble-free, but just don’t carry the wow factor of their larger counterparts, in my opinion.

So, now we’re on a retro watermelon kick at our house. I take a quick pass at removing some of the seeds, but the rest remain for spitting or swallowing (consumer’s choice). Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but they seem sweeter than the seedless ones to me, a sticky memory from childhood when perfumed aunts played cards and laughed on the patio and uncles pitched horseshoes in the field.

Those aunts and uncles are long gone, but I can still get a decent watermelon if I take my time and look closely. Below is advice from The National Watermelon Promotion Board (NWPB).

If you’re looking for recipes and other watermelon facts, head over to their website for a nice blog, photos of watermelon carvings and other tidbits.

Get a Good Watermelon

Look for a firm watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents.

Lift the watermelon up. At 92% water, the watermelon should be heavy for its size.

Turn the watermelon over. Look for a creamy yellow spot on the underside of the watermelon (called the “ground spot”). This is where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.