Watermelon: How Mom’s Favorite Fruit Became My Own

Written by: Amanda Csolak – Spice Blogger for Spice Station Silverlake

Here in the United States, when Summer break finally comes around, most kids look forward to primarily one thing, being out of school. But when I was growing up, I actually missed being in class. What can I say, I loved learning. But when that final class bell rang announcing the beginning of Summer break, there was one thing I always anticipated, and that was getting to bite into the first watermelon of the season. 

The Connection Between My Mom and Watermelon

The thing is I have always loved watermelon. I have fond memories of enjoying this sweet, juicy fruit all throughout my childhood. As a young adult, I started to wonder why I loved watermelon so much. I asked my Mom about it and was surprised by her answer. 

My Mom loved watermelon too, and when she was pregnant with me during the warm summer months, she enjoyed it a lot. It was her favorite food while I was growing inside her belly. She ate it as much as she could, and in turn, my fetal self fell in love with this delectable fruit. 

Favorite Foods and How They Become Your Babies Favorite Too

Let us dive into the science of how what my Mom ate while she was expecting me, became a favorite fruit of mine too. 

When a woman is expecting a baby, everything she eats becomes nourishment for her growing child. But it’s not just the vitamins and proteins that make their way to the baby; the flavors in foods are received via the amniotic fluid, which the baby, in turn, swallows, giving it its first taste of whatever Mom enjoyed during her pregnancy. 

After the child is born, if being breastfed, they continue to receive these flavors through the breast milk. Studies have been done to examine the connection between Mom and baby and how what she eats modifies the child’s fondness and acceptance of similar flavors during the transition from breastfeeding to solid foods.

The History of The Watermelon

Like myself, many Americans enjoy eating fresh watermelon every Summer season. In fact, more than $500 million dollars worth of watermelon is commercially harvested each year. The state of Georgia is the top watermelon producer in the country. But overall, China takes the lead in worldwide watermelon production. 

But the origins of the watermelon may surprise you. This popular fruit was domesticated in Egypt about 5,000 years ago as a source of both food and water. Approximately 2,000 years ago, sweet dessert watermelons, which are ancestors to the watermelons gracing our farmer’s markets stands today, emerged in the Mediterranean. 

Today there are over 1,200 varieties of watermelon grown across the world. The most expensive of these is the square-shaped watermelon found in Japan. Having perfected the unique shape, Japanese markets sell these pricey melons for anywhere between $75 to $100 U.S. dollars! That’s a costly piece of fruit, especially considering the naturally shaped organic watermelon for sale in America usually costs around $8 U.S. dollars. That’s a huge difference.

Growing Up Loving Watermelon

I have to give credit to my Mom. Without her, I’m not sure I would love watermelon quite as much as I do. This is not a normal love to have for a fruit. Everyone can say they enjoy watermelon, but I really love it. I can’t get enough. So every Summer, when it’s officially watermelon season, I try to get as much watermelon as possible. Being a Summer fruit, it’s difficult to find any other time of year, so I know my time to enjoy this amazingly juicy fruit is limited. 

When I was little I enjoyed just eating slices of fresh watermelon. I remember my Mom would make me and my younger siblings take it outside to our backyard to finish because, like any other kids, we were messy. There’s actually a photo somewhere of the three of us laughing, enjoying our slices of watermelon. 

As I started to grow up, my taste for watermelon stuck with me and began to mature. When I was nine years old, I remember we had a babysitter while my Mom was out of the house one afternoon. It was an incredibly hot Summer day, It happened to be Mother’s Day, and I wanted to do something special for my Mom. I knew she loved Watermelon as much as I did, so with the help of the babysitter, I went to work, creating my first culinary treat, thus sparking a love for cooking and giving food as a gift. 

You’re probably wondering what treat I concocted that memorable Mother’s Day all those years ago. They were Watermelon popsicles, and my Mom loved them! As a kid, I did not have the same skills in the kitchen I have today, so of course, I made something simple and easy, as any kid would. At the time, I thought I was an amazing chef for being able to make anything at all. These days if I still want to cool off on a hot Summer day I think fondly back on this memory. Of course, now the popsicles I make are a bit more involved than how I did it back then. That recipe can be found at the end of this blog, along with a few other favorites that I’ll mention below.

From Childhood To Adulthood: How My Love For Watermelon Matured With Me

As a child of the United States Military, I grew up moving from one home to another every two or three years. Lots of things changed living in various places, but no matter where we were, we always got to enjoy watermelon. 

What began as a love for the fruit of the watermelon vine evolved over the years. In addition to enjoying slices of cool, sweet watermelon, I began to enjoy recipes incorporating it. My first experience with watermelon being paired with other flavors happened the summer I turned eighteen. My neighborhood was throwing a Summer BBQ to celebrate the local high school’s seniors, including me,  so naturally the neighborhood Dad’s were busy grilling meat, and with my Mom’s love for watermelon, it’s no surprise that my Mom was the one to suggest grilling her favorite fruit. There was a lot of gossip going around. People didn’t think grilling watermelon was going to be any good. But my strong-willed Mother proved them wrong! She took some sliced watermelon over to my Dad’s grill, and he placed them on the heat. When she threw some salt and pepper on them, my Dad thought she was losing her mind. But she knew what she was doing. Minutes later, the whole neighborhood was asking for more. 

Today, I still enjoy making grilled watermelon. Which, unlike the version I enjoyed at eighteen, is now expertly paired with other flavors, like avocado and jalapeno. You will find that recipe at the end of this blog.

My Love For Watermelon As An Adult

As an adult, I still find myself craving watermelon. This infatuation for the popular melon was evident in my cooking. Every Summer, when a craving hits, I reach for one of my many cookbooks and search for a new way to enjoy watermelon. I’ve made so many different recipes over the years using this bright pink fruit; you might be surprised, from daiquiris to zesty salads. Using various herbs and spices such as basil, cumin, and mint help excite the palette when paired with the natural sweetness of the watermelon. Surprisingly, even sprinkling salt and pepper adds pizazz to most watermelon dishes. 

With my love for watermelon, it should come as no surprise that I incorporated it into my wedding day. Like many other couples, My husband and I decided to serve alcohol at our wedding reception, but instead of having a full bar available, we opted to offer our guests a short list of our favorite cocktails. My list included my top favorite summer cocktail, a watermelon and basil mojito. Our wedding reception bartender made the finest version of this special beverage, so of course, I managed to swipe the recipe so I could continue to enjoy sipping its sweet flavors in the years following my wedding day. Now I’m sharing it with you! You can find this and other watermelon recipes below. 

How My Love For Watermelon Influenced The Next Generation

It’s amazing how what my Mom ate while expecting me ultimately became my favorite fruit. But I’m not mad about it. I love that we share a common love for watermelon. I still enjoy making her various foods and desserts, and in the Summertime, I always try to make her at least one new watermelon dish. So far, she’s loved them all. But she’s not the only family member who loves this pink melon. 

As a proud Auntie of three littles, I love sharing special treats with them, whipping up watermelon sorbet, fruit pizza, and even the grilled watermelon recipe you can find below, for them on several occasions. Now, they can’t get enough of it, and I’m proud to say their Mom, my sister, credits me with influencing their love for all things watermelon. When I come over to visit, they always ask me if I brought any new watermelon treats for them.  

The most popular request from my sister’s kids takes me back to when I was a little girl making watermelon popsicles for my Mom on Mother’s Day all those years ago. The version I make today is a delicious recipe with a blend of cherries and raspberries in addition to the star of the show, the watermelon. What makes it even better is the hint of mint and a splash of lime juice. It’s enjoyable for both kids and kids at heart alike. 

I hope you enjoy these watermelon recipe favorites of mine I’ve included for you below. 

Bon Appetite! 

My Top Favorite Watermelon Recipes:

 

Watermelon, Cherry, and Raspberry Popsicles

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook/Set Time: 7 hours 

Serves: 10

Tools Needed: A Heatproof jug, whisk, wooden spoon, food processor, a fine sieve, 10x100ml popsicle molds, and 10 wooden popsicle sticks.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Raspberry Sugar
• 1 bunch mint
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• Large 2 lb. watermelon, peeled and roughly chopped. Yield: 1 lb of watermelon flesh
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• ¼ lb. punnet of fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Combine raspberry sugar and ¾ cup boiling water in a heatproof jug and whisk until sugar dissolves. Add the mint and lime zest, and, using a wooden spoon, gently push down to submerge the mint in the sugar syrup. Chill until the sugar syrup has cooled completely. Once cooled, remove the mint and discard.
2. Using a food processor, blend the watermelon, cherries, and raspberries, and lime juice until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a large jug, discarding the solids, then stir in the sugar syrup. Divide the mixture among 10 x 100ml- capacity popsicle molds.
3. Freeze for 2 hours or until starting to set. Insert wooden popsicle sticks in the center of the molds, then freeze until frozen solid, approximately another 5 hours, or overnight. 

 

Grilled Watermelon with Avocado, Cucumber, and Jalapeno Salsa Recipe:

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 Hass avocado, peeled and cut into ⅓ inch pieces
• 1 cup finely diced burpless cucumber
• 3 tbsps. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsps. minced seeded jalapeno, plus very thinly sliced jalapeno for garnish (optional)
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds, ground
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Himalayan pink salt, finely ground
• Black smoked Peppercorn, ground
• One 4lb watermelon, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch thick slabs
• ½ cup cilantro leaves
• ½ cup small dill sprigs

Directions:

1. Light a grill. In a medium bowl, gently mix the avocado with the cucumber, lime juice, minced jalapeño, cumin, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season the salsa with salt and pepper.
2. Brush the watermelon slabs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until nicely charred on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Spoon the salsa on the watermelon and top with the cilantro leaves, dill sprigs, and sliced jalapeño, if using. Serve right away.

 

Watermelon and Basil and Wild Blueberry Sugar Mojito Recipe:

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Tools Needed: One 3L pitcher, a sieve, and a small rolling pin. 

Ingredients: 

• 400ml dark rum
• 2 tsp wild blueberry sugar
• 3 limes, quartered, plus extra slices, to serve
• 400g watermelon, peeled, roughly chopped, plus extra wedges to serve
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus extra sprigs to serve
• Ice cubes to serve
• 2 cups (500ml) chilled mineral water

Directions

1. Place rum, caster sugar, lime, watermelon, and basil in a 2L (8-cup) jug, and using a small rolling pin, muddle ingredients until combined. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, extracting as much of the liquid as possible. Discard solids.
2. Transfer the mojito to a 3L (12-cup) pitcher and half-fill with ice. Add mineral water and garnish with extra lime slices, watermelon, and basil sprigs.

Remember to enjoy responsibly.