Summer Watermelon

The Inspiration

Watermelon is the perfect summer dessert because it has a high water content that keeps you hydrated while also tasting sweet and refreshing. My Dad is a barbecue aficionado, so growing up, summer meant everyone worked together to help him cook barbecue feasts fit for a king. After the meat and sides were devoured, I remember my Dad would always walk around with a large platter of juicy watermelon slices, handing them out to all our family and friends. I always knew that plate of watermelon meant a job well done and marked the time for a break, however briefly, after all, there was still dishes and cleaning up to do! I can't help but be reminded of those wonderful summer parties every time I take a sweet, satisfying bite of watermelon. 

Choosing a watermelon can be a precarious process, and one that is crucial to your enjoyment of the watermelon, but it can be difficult because you don't know what is on the inside until you open it up and taste it! Most people are unaware that they are buying watermelon at the wrong time of the year, but that has a huge impact on how it tastes. Get your watermelon too early and it won't be sweet enough, too late and you'll have a mealy, inedible flop on your hands! Luckily, the Farmer's Market helps mitigate the risk quite a bit, as the farmers will only sell watermelons in season, checking on them to find the perfect time to harvest their melons.

When you are all done with your watermelon, don't throw away the rinds! They are perfect for pickling, a process that will give you a unique, tangy treat! As I mentioned previously, Vivian Howard's Deep Run Roots is an invaluable resource regarding many different types of produce, including watermelon and pickling the rinds.

The Recipe
Here is my recipe for the perfect Watermelon dessert bar, complete with the must-have toppings:
1 Watermelon, diced in large cubes, chilled
1 cup Mexican Crema
You can make your own using this method from Cooks Illustrated like I did. 
2 Tbs. Le Lechera or sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coconut flakes
2 mangoes diced
1 cup granola, I prefer a less sweet cinnamon, honey variety for this dish

Combine the Mexican Crema and Le Lechera to make a sweet tangy sauce. Serve in a small pitcher. Place all of the remaining toppings in separate serving bowls. Then allow your guests to serve themselves and create their own blend of this refreshing watermelon dessert. 

 The Pairing

Watermelon's originated in Africa and traveled with both European colonists and African slaves across the Atlantic to the "New World." Among the many intrigues that visitors to the America's found were rumors of immense cities deep in the Amazon rainforest, civilizations overflowing with gold and rare spices. Dreams of El Dorado and La Canela drove many men to plunge into the Amazon in search of wonders, a search that continues to this day. One of the most famous explorers of the Amazon, Percy Fawcett, lost his life to the Amazon in the 1920s, a story told in The Lost City of Z, released just this year. The Lost City of Z deals not only with Fawcett's obsession, but also his drive to prove that the tribes in the Amazon were worthy of respect, not sub-human as they were widely considered at the time. Beautifully shot in the Amazonian jungles, Z is the best look yet at the mental and physical rigors a man will suffer in the quest for discovery.  -Z