Watermelon, watermelon, watermelon vine…

Watermelon is a splendid way to keep people hydrated and happy as the temperatures rise.

We’ve found peeled watermelon spears to be an easier way to consume the fruit with less drippings than the wedge.

Watermelon cubes are a great addition to a casual buffet for added color and they bring desired lightness and sweetness to a summer meal.

Add some crumbled feta, chopped parsley and a turn or two of fresh ground pepper to the watermelon cubes and a splendid salad is yours (see photo above).

But how do you turn that bulbous beauty into a bowl of refreshing chunks? Here’s how we tackle this project…

The skin of the watermelon (and all fruits and vegetables) does a wonderful job of keeping the edible fruit inside clean, pure and free from contaminants. We like to “skin” the melon and then wash the knife before cutting into the meat of the fruit. If you slice through the skin into the flesh, you pull any bacteria or contaminants from the surface (which rested in the soil and has been handled by many) into the edible portion.

After washing the outside of the melon, we cut it in half. Wash the knife again and cut off the small end.

Travelling around the melon we cut off the skin and white pith.