Japanese Watermelon

I'm sorry I've been away for a while. The summer was so hot here, I practically melted into a puddle.

Today's post is a simple one, showcasing a taste of the Japanese summer -- watermelon.

This fruit is a favorite treat for kids and adults in Japan. What's interesting about the watermelon here, compared to those in Canada, is the shape -- it's perfectly round, like a basketball. The skin is also smooth to the touch.

I bought a whole watermelon during the summer and had a friend cut it up (ever since the kitchen knife accident where I sliced my finger, I'm anti "big things, big knife").

The watermelon, from Kanazawa: 

Slicing:

 An interesting note: In Japan, at beaches everywhere, there is a fun game many play with a watermelon. It involves blindfolding one person, spinning them around for a bit, then, handing them a thick wooden stick, you guide the blinded person, who hopes to hit the watermelon. The goal is similar to a Mexican pinata -- you want to bust open the watermelon so everyone can enjoy it.

I begged my friend to let me do this in my apartment's parking lot, but worry about busting some car tail lights nixed that idea quickly. (>_<)

The surgery is complete:

Cutting into wedges:

Famous areas for growing watermelon in Japan are: Miura Peninsula  (Kanagawa), Nagano (home of the 1998 Winter Olympics), and Akita. The best watermelon in the whole country is supposed to be from Miura. Watermelons there average ¥3,000 each! ($30/ 1,000 baht) The watermelon pictured above cost ¥998 ($10 / 325 baht).

Watermelons can range in taste from sweet to slightly bitter, so careful selection is key. The watermelon season in Japan lasts from late July until early September. Most are sold in August, the hottest month, as the watermelon acts as a cool, healthy treat.

Japan has some unique shaped watermelons. The world's first heart shaped melon was grown recently (via RocketNews24); there are also cubed watermelons too (via nimg.sulkeha.com). Let's try!

*** Special Bonus ***

At my local supermarket, I noticed a new product from Coca-Cola -- Vanilla Coke! I tried it and really liked the subtle vanilla flavor. The smell is also quite nice. Cost: ¥88 (80 cents / 30 baht)