Watermelon is the story of Claire who has it all until, on the day she gives birth to their first child, her husband James informs her that he is leaving her for their dumpy next door neighbour. Devastated, she takes the baby and returns to her family home in Ireland. There, with the help of her somewhat dysfunctional, and often hilarious, family Claire regains her sense of self, finds a new love interest and ultimately lives happily ever after. I can’t remember what I thought of Claire when I read this the first time round. There were moments this time where I actually winced at the way she behaves and almost felt sorry for her husband who is clearly meant to be the villain of the piece. Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable, romantic and often funny romp which would be a perfect beach or poolside read if you were looking to while away the hours without having to think too much about what you are reading.
Also perfect for poolside sipping would be my watermelon margarita. This is just gorgeous to look at with the watermelon giving it a lovely pink colour and it tastes delicious too – sweet from the fruit, the lime adds some sharpness and the tequila and cointreau bring a nice alcoholic kick.
Watermelon Margarita (makes enough for 4) Caster Sugar 3 cups chopped seedless watermelon 60ml tequila 20ml Cointreau 80ml fresh lime juice 3 cups crushed ice Pour the sugar onto a plate. Wet the rim of the glass and dip into the mixture. Set aside. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender and process until well combined. Pour into the prepared glass and serve immediately. |
Equally lovely to eat during summer would be this delightful watermelon salad, based on Nigella Lawson’s recipe which also uses a combination of watermelon and lime. I was hesitant about making this at first as I wasn’t sure about the mixture of watermelon and cheese which seemed odd to me. However, part of doing this was to try new and different foods so I decided to give it a try. One bite and I was a fan! I also made it for my family and it went down a treat at a backyard bbq on a swelteringly hot summer day.
The colours of this salad are amazing, the deep pink of the watermelon, the bright purplish red of the red onions, the dark purple-black of the olives all set against the creamy whiteness of the feta cheese and the bright green of the mint. The flavours and textures are also awesome, the crunchy sweetness of the watermelon, the tanginess of the limes, the bite of the onions the saltness of the olives and the creamy, salty smoothness of the feta cheese combine to create a taste explosion in each mouthful.
The verdict? I think I can bear to let go of Watermelon (the book) and will be offering it on BookMooch very shortly. I will however be keeping both recipes and am already thinking about minor variations I can make next time I prepare them. Maybe some salt on the rim of the margarita glass, a little chilli in the salad....
Watermelon and Feta Salad (for 8) 1 small red onion 2-4 limes (depending on juiciness) 1.5 kg watermelon 250g feta cheese Fresh mint, chopped 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 100g pitted black olives Black pepper Peel and halve the red onions and place in a bowl with the lime juice. Cut the rind from the watermelon then cut the flesh into bite size chunks. Cut the feta into similar sized chunks and place both into a bowl. Add the mint, olives, and the onions and lime juice into the bowl along with the olive oil. Toss very gently. Add pepper to taste. |
