Do you remember watermelon? I'm talking real watermelon. Remember it was so juicy you had to eat it outside. Outside, where you would get in competitions with your fellow eaters to see who could spit the seeds the farthest? Do you remember how sweet it was, the deep delicious flavor, so sugary that your fingers would stick together after eating it.
WHERE ARE THOSE WATERMELONS?!
For the last 5 years I can't seem to find a watermelon that doesn't taste more like a cucumber than a watermelon. Don't get me wrong I love cucumbers, I just am asking that my watermelon taste like a fruit and not a vegi.
My dad and I have had this discussion a few times. We have placed at least partial blame on seedless watermelons (though even those used to have some flavor).
He's managed to get a hold of one or two good ones from roadside sellers. But I just keep striking out. Year after year.
Destined to fail, I tried again. Safeway had local grown seeded Thai Watermelons on sale. I thumped on them 'til I found one that sounded nice. Honestly I have no idea what they should sound like. I just tap them and listen 'til one makes me happy lol. (probably some residual memory of 'the sound' from watching the produce guys back in California when I was tiny.)
I chose this one:
Not quite as red as it could be but not bad...
Ok, here goes the taste test...
SLURP
Hey that's decent!
It was no 1990's California Watermelon, but It only slightly hinted at cucumber!
I'm going to have to check out some road side stands to see if I can turn the tide on this curse...
Wish me luck!
..we feel your pain. Only way I can tolerate these faux watermelons is with a sprinkle of white stevia powder.
ReplyDeleteNext year's garden I'm going to grow my own if I can find a 'short season' variety. I'm gonna feed it heavily and NOT pick it before it's ripe!
I don't ever remember watermelon being good! I know that others in my family disagree but, to me, they have always been pretty flavorless.
ReplyDeleteWe did discover a salad a couple of years ago which is just watermelon, a vinaigrette- we like Trader Joe's raspberry vinaigrette- and fresh cracked pepper. I didn't think it would be good but even a so-so version of the boring melon tastes pretty good this way. :P
It isn't just watermelon that suffers this fate. We had strawberries in our garden this year. They were wonderful. Katie says that they do not taste anything like what you buy in the store. Home grown are grown correctly and picked at their peak. This is the reason I garden.
ReplyDeleteBekkie is deathly allergic to watermelon so when we went to the cabin I bought the children a watermelon. (I did not have it inside the car, it was in a cooler on the outside.) When we got there we were all dying for that first piece of watermelon. We sat on the deck and sliced big juicy slices. It was so disappointing that I ate half a slice. I used to eat half a watermelon. The watermelon in California in the 1980's was the best I have ever tasted. The cantalope in Oklahoma was the very best. The peaches in Utah are better than any I have tasted, but you have to pick them from the tree. Carrie has a lemon tree that is wonderful---the best lemons. Fruit in the store just can't compare.