July 25, 2008

The summer of the watermelon

It's all Kathy's fault.

In other words, my friend and editor Kathy Lu is responsible for a warm weather craving that I haven't experienced so intensely since I was a child.

No, I am not pregnant. But Kathy is.

Early in her pregnancy, my friend started yearning for the ruby-red stuff. Its icy cold sweetness seemed to quell her first trimester discomfort in a way nothing else did, like an elixir for nausea.

She began to bring it in Tupperware containers to work, munching on big chunks of it in her office. I'd walk in to talk about an idea for a column and spy her hunched over her precious fruit.
When cookout time rolled around, Kathy didn't bring her signature cold sesame noodles. She brought fruit salad, with a 70-30 ratio of watermelon to other fruit.

One day, I brought in some fresh cantaloupe to share with my co-workers and Lu said, "Oh, good. I forgot to bring my watermelon." While reporting the ethnic market series, I told her one day that I was heading out to visit a few markets and see what I could find.

"I forgot to bring fruit today," she said. "Could you see if you can find me some?"

Okay, so her insatiable desire for watermelon this summer applies to just about any fresh fruit. But she isn't fooling me -- I know she'd take watermelon over anything else.

Gradually, I began to have sympathy cravings. I discovered that almost nothing tastes as good on a hot summer day than a freshly carved watermelon.

I don't eat it like I did when I was a kid, plowing my face into a big slice and working my way toward the rind, spitting seeds like an M-16, until my cheeks were sticky with juice.

Now I'm more dignified -- I buy seedless, organic watermelon and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two before carving it into bite-size chunks.

But oh, those frigid chunks are hard to stop eating. Biting down, I can almost feel every little cell of the flesh bursting between my teeth and releasing its cool, cucumbery sweetness.

I brought some for breakfast this morning, and I've got some at home in the fridge.

I know you're supposed to be nice to pregnant ladies and all, but Kathy isn't getting any of my watermelon.

• Share this entry
  • Digg this entry
  • Mark in Ma.gnolia
  • Tag with del.icio.us
  • Seed Newsvine
  • Post to Google
  • Add to Yahoo!
  • Share on Facebook
  • Submit to Reddit
  • Related at Technorati
• Posted by Lindsey Nair in
• :: Comments (7)