Summer is time to break out the watermelons

Watermelon season is upon us. If you don't have some lurking in your garden, maybe your neighbor does. If neither of these are true, watermelons are available at the farmers market and the megamarts likely have a supply from the Hermiston area.

The flesh of watermelon is over 90 percent water. Native to Africa, it was a valuable and portable source of water for desert situations and when natural water supplies were contaminated. Watermelons were cultivated in Egypt and India as far back as 2500 B.C. as evidenced in ancient hieroglyphics.

The more than 500 varieties of watermelon grown worldwide give consumers many choices, with a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to choose from. They are generally divided into icebox and picnic categories. The icebox category is so called because the size of the melons, ranging from five to 15 pounds, allows them to fit more easily into the refrigerator. Picnics are larger, weighing from 15 to 50 pounds, yet they can grow much larger.

Color, size and shape have little bearing on the flavor of the flesh between differing varieties. Seedless varieties are not truly seedless, but actually do contain tiny, white, edible immature seeds in lesser amounts than traditional watermelons.

Watermelons are available May through September. Look for symmetrical fruit without any flat sides. The watermelon should have a hollow sound when slapped on the side. The rind should be dull and just barely yield to pressure. Avoid melons with soft spots, gashes, or other blemishes on the rind. Cut watermelons should have a brightly-colored flesh. If there is an abundance of small, white seeds the melon is immature. Avoid melons with a grainy or dry-looking flesh. Store whole watermelon in the refrigerator. If it's too large for your refrigerator, keep in a cool, dark place. Cut watermelon should always be tightly wrapped, refrigerated and used within a day or so.

WATERMELON POPSICLES

• 3 cups watermelon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water

Cut watermelon into cubes and run through a strainer to remove seeds. In small saucepan mix together sugar and water; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in watermelon juice and lemon juice. Pour into two ice trays. Freeze until very mushy and insert a stick in each cube. Freeze until set.

WATERMELON PIE

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (4-ounce) container non-dairy whipped topping, thawed
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 cups watermelon balls
• 1 9-inch graham cracker crust

Fold together milk and topping. Add lime juice. Fold in watermelon balls, reserving about 5 balls for a garnish. Pour into graham cracker crust. Place remaining watermelon balls on pie to garnish. Chill for 2 or more hours before serving.

DEEP FRIED WATERMELON

• 1 10-pound watermelon.
• 11 tablespoons flour
• 7 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 3 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• Powdered sugar

Cut the watermelon in half and scoop out the pulp. Remove any seeds from the pulp and cut the pulp into diamonds. Dredge with the flour. Mix the egg whites with cornstarch and a little water into a batter. Heat the oil in pan to about 250 degrees. Dip the watermelon pieces in the batter and gently place into the oil. Deep-fry until light brown.

Remove, drain well, sprinkle with the sugar, and serve.

WATERMELON CAKE

• 1 (2-layer package) white cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups cubed seedless watermelon
• 1 package mixed fruit gelatin powder
• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoons oil
• 1/4 cup watermelon juice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Combine dry cake mix, cubed watermelon, gelatin powder, egg whites and oil. Beat until smooth. Pour into a prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Combine juice, butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Spread over cooled cake before serving.

WATERMELON ICE

• 3 cups fresh watermelon juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour the watermelon juice into a shallow glass baking dish. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir well. Place the dish in the freezer and chill. Remove the pan every 1/2 hour and stir. The juice will form light, grainy ice crystals as it freezes. Repeat this process until the juice is fully frozen, about 4 hours, depending on the temperature of your freezer. Serve immediately, or store in the freezer in a covered container up to several weeks.

WATERMELON MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup watermelon juice
• 1/2 cup watermelon pulp
• 1/2 cup raisins

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in large bowl. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Whip in milk, juice, pulp and raisins. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients; blend just to incorporate. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Transfer to wire rack; cool.

WATERMELON SALAD

• 1 tablespoon shallots, chopped
• 1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
• 1/3 cup fresh or frozen raspberries, pureed and strained
• 2 teaspoon honey
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches watercress, stems removed
• 8 cups watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and fresh ground pepper

Whisk together the shallots, vinegar, raspberry puree, honey and oil in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Separate the onions into rings. Pour the vinaigrette over the onions and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. To serve, arrange a bed of watercress on each plate. Top with the cubed watermelon and drape the onion rings on top. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and garnish with the mint leaves, if desired.