God's Greatest Fruit

"Watermelon is God's greatest fruit," says my father. I cannot recall a summer without a memory of my dad butchering a watermelon late in the night and calling my sister Brooke and I down to the kitchen to partake. We never ate it the traditional way--Dad first slices it in half with the big knife exposing its ripened red center, and with spoons we dig away circular scoops. Before we know it, it's all carved out like a pumpkin, with only the rind remaining and a big pool of water sitting in the bottom. Dad's fascination with watermelon never diminishes, in fact I'm convinced it grows stronger with each new year. "It's like eating and drinking at the same time, " he raves. And it's true! Maybe it's just his passion for the fruit that inspired me, but I feel the same affection for that God-given fruit. Nothing else even comes close to challenging the watermelon's unique ability to deliver crisp refreshment and bursting flavor while still giving a little something to chew and savor, rather than just gulp down. Watermelon eating is almost a legacy in my family...Dad took great care to teach me how to pick out the perfect one out of a whole barrel, with a series of tapping and thumping techniques. It's all very technical you see.

What's funny is that unfortunately, my mother shares no such passion for the produce and dreads those summer days when my dad trucks home a big melon and smashes it open, leaving its sticky juices gushing all over our granite countertops. She can hardly bear to watch us spit the shiny black seeds into her nice sink and see our wet spoons scattered all over the place...so that's why we traditionally have our little feasts in the quiet of night, when mom is fast asleep. :)