In season with Food magazine: watermelon

Drink in our ideas for this refreshing summery fruit, which is as good with sweet as it is with savoury dishes. Recipes and styling by Sophie Gray.

Todd Eyre

Need to know:

From a family of vines that originates in southern Africa, the watermelon is technically a kind of berry, unlike the strawberry, which is, strictly speaking, not a berry at all.
Watermelons are about 90 per cent water and six per cent sugar – which accounts for why they are so refreshing. They can grow to be very large, with the heaviest watermelon ever recorded weighing in at 159kg.
As well as being very hydrating, they are also filled with substantial amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B6, along with the antioxidant phytonutrient lycopene. There are also decent amounts of potassium and fibre on offer.
At this time of year, there’s nothing better to snack on than giant chunks of fresh watermelon. It also works well in fruit salads, as well as savoury salads, where it happily partners with feta cheese and fragrant herbs.
When choosing, go for a heavy watermelon that sounds hollow when tapped – this indicates it’s ripe. Ensure your cut watermelon is covered and kept refrigerated.

Try these watermelon-inspired recipes from Food magazine:

This watermelon pizza recipe is here to take the title of your favourite summer dessert! Simple yet showstopping, this ‘pizza’ is the perfect sweet treat for adults and kids to enjoy this sunny season.

Spend your summer sipping on this watermelon punch! Packed with lime, mint and spiked with bubbly ginger ale, this punch is amazing served with frozen melon balls instead of standard ice cubes.

This watermelon, peach and basil salad recipe is a winner! As well as being dairy and gluten-free (so it’s perfect for sharing with everyone at the table), it can be whipped up in just 10 minutes. How easy is that?

For more delicious ways to use watermelon in your cooking, click here!