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A slice of watermelon
The watermelon slice is striking and unmistakable in appearance and it was always a symbol of summer. Mid-June to August is the season when watermelon are sweet and of the best quality, even if you find it in the markets throughout the year.
Fat-free and low in calories, watermelon is a fair to good source of vitamins A,B1, B6 and C, thiamine and potassium, a mineral essential to water balance in the body.
The studies reveal that watermelon contains plenty of lycopene, a carotenoid pigment that gives watermelon its red hue. It helps quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. One and a half cups of ripe, red watermelon contains 9 to 13 milligrams of lycopene. That′s about 40 percent more than raw tomatoes.
Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds.
Fresh watermelon may be eaten in a variety of ways and is also often used to flavor summer drinks and smoothies. If the watermelon is to be eaten with a meal, it is generally cut into bite-sized squares or balled with a melon baller. The resulting pieces are often mixed with other melons and fruits and possibly syrup to form a fruit salad.
Frozen Watermelon Lemonade combines watermelon, lemon, raspberry and strawberry to create a delicious way to tame the summer rays. The "lemonade" can be served as a slushy or a more elegant sorbet.
How to cut watermelon - slice it crossways and then slice the resulting round slabs into halves or quarters. This method is good if do not mind the juices flowing everywhere. Since the rind provides a handle, no utensils are needed.
Sometimes watermelon is used as a vegetable. In China, they are stir-fried, stewed, or more often pickled. When stir-fried, the de-skinned and de-fruited rind is cooked with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers, scallions, sugar and rum (and provides a great way to utilize the whole watermelon). Pickled watermelon rind is also widespread in Russia.
Watermelon seeds are rich in fat and protein, and are widely eaten as a snack, added to other dishes, or used as an oilseed. In China watermelon seeds are one of the most common snack foods, popular especially with women, competing with sunflower seeds, and sold roasted and seasoned. In West Africa, they are pressed for oil and are popular in egusi soup and other dishes.
Watermelon contains 92% water by weight, the highest percentage of any fruit. In the United States and South Africa, one may also find an alcoholic newness known as a hard watermelon, or a watermelon that has been enhanced with an alcoholic beverage. This process involves boring a hole into the watermelon, then pouring the liquor inside and allowing it to mix with the flesh of the fruit. The watermelon is then cut and served as normal.
No doubt, only looking to a watermelon slice, makes you want to taste it. So go ahead and enjoy all the preparation posibilities all over the world.
[Author]
Alexandra Popa