It’s National Watermelon Day! I had no idea until the morning news shows informed me of the occasion, but I am more than happy to get into the spirit! It’s a perfect summer day here – sunny and a high of 80- so I would probably be using this ridiculous quick and easy recipe for watermelon lemonade slushies, a favorite summertime refresher, even if it wasn’t National Watermelon Day.
But it is, so in addition to the recipe, I’ve also gathered some fun facts about watermelon that you can share with your family and friends while enjoying your watermelon lemonade.
Watermelon Lemonade Slushie Recipe
* Cut fresh watermelon into 1 inch cubes. (If you’re working with a whole watermelon, this article/video shows an easy way to cube it.)
* In blender, add 1 cup cubed watermelon, 2 cups of lemonade and ice cubes.
* Blend on the “frozen beverage” setting until all ingredients are combined and ice isn’t too chunky.
I like to serve it with a watermelon garnish for fun, but it’s completely optional.
Told you it was ridiculously easy! Use your favorite lemonade. I opted for Trader Joe’s today because I had some and the idea of hand squeezed lemonade was a little overwhelming today. It’s summer, and no one wants to be stuck in the kitchen when you can be outside enjoying a frosty, delicious beverage.
I used our single serving blender option instead of the big pitcher, but the recipe can easily be multiplied to quench the thirst of a big crowd. It’s also not an exact science, and can be altered to whatever your tastes are. If you like just a hint of watermelon, use less and up the lemonade.
If you wanted to make this an adult beverage, adding a shot of lemon vodka would do the trick quite nicely.
Facts about Watermelon
* Americans consume more watermelon than any other melon. Cantaloupe is in second place and honeydew is third.
* The United States ranks 5th in worldwide production of watermelon. Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona consistently are the leading producers.
* The name “watermelon” is appropriate – watermelons are 92% water.
* It’s official name is Citrullus Lanatus. It belongs to the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. Watermelons are cousins of cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
* Seedless watermelons were invented 50 years ago.
* Watermelons with seeds, however, go way, way, WAY back, with the first recorded watermelon harvest happening approximately 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
* According to Guinness World Records, the world’s heaviest watermelon was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkadelphia, Arkansas in 2005, weighing in at 268.8 lbs (121.93 kg). That is an awful lot of watermelon!
* There are over 1,200 varieties grown in 96 countries worldwide, and not all of them have stripes.
* A watermelon takes about 90 days to grow, from planting to harvesting.
* Once cut from the vine, a watermelon has about 3-4 weeks of shelf life.
* The seeds and the rind are edible. In fact, the first cookbook published in the U.S. in 1776 contained a recipe for watermelon rind pickles.
Source: The Watermelon Board
Wondering how to pick the best possible melon?
The Watermelon Board offers this advice:
- Look the watermelon over.
You are looking for a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. - Lift it up.
The watermelon should be heavy for it’s size. Watermelon is 92% water, most of the weight is water. - Turn it over.
The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun..
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