Summer's almost over - Don't be Melon-choly!

True confession:  sometimes I get inspired about what to make for dinner when I'm in the checkout and I talk to customers about what they're buying. Then sometimes produce comes off the truck and hits me over the head with inspiration that I can't resist.  Case in point:  yesterday's 800 pound bin of mini, organic Yakima watermelons.  I knew they were just the thing for the family birthday party for Alisa.

Here's what I did.  I balanced each watermelon to see which end was flatter, and used that as the bottom. The rind was too thin to shave some off to make a flat bottom.  I cut a medium hole in the top end and used an ice cream scoop to remove the pulp.

In batches, I processed about 10 cups of watermelon pulp, then processed some of it with 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 bunch of mint and the juice of 3 limes, then poured it all into a shallow baking dish. stirred it up and froze it for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

My able assistant Harla Jean then filled the hollowed out melons with the frozen mixture, added a judicious amount of gin, stirred to make it more liquid-y, garnished with mint and lime, and there it was.  A festive end-of-summer beverage, and you could certainly make this with big melons, yellow melons, whatever! Enjoy it without alcohol, or as a frozen sorbet-type dessert.

As always, ask us to help you choose a melon!

Fruitfully yours,

Karin