# Salt on Melons (esp. Water Melon) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 5, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050 "2019-06-05T04:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/41 "2019-06-06T02:05:15Z")
Tennessee native here; my parents (both from North Carolina) salt their melon. I stop short of saying that salted melon is an abomination, but you’ll never see me eat it. My wife grew up with in the Baltimore/DC area, and I’ve never seen her salt her melon. Son’s girl friend is visiting from NY state; I’ll try and remember to ask her. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/42 "2019-06-06T02:25:37Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > He’d really think it weird that South Asians tend to put lemon and cayenne pepper on corn on the cob (the best way to eat it, IMO). Around here, the Mexican way is lime, hot pepper, mayonnaise, and cotija cheese. Now _that’s_ the best way to eat it! ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/43 "2019-06-06T02:31:12Z")
When I was a kid in Georgia, salting a watermelon was a normal thing to do. Seems I remember that I liked it. Then I got older, tastes changed, decided I didn’t like anything about the whole grainy/seedy/sticky mess. Black pepper on cantelopes? No, they should be buried in a shallow grave. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/44 "2019-06-06T03:18:25Z")
My mother taught us to sugar rhubarb, but a neighbor insisted it should be dipped in salt. I would eat it either way until I got older and discovered that I disliked rhubarb intensely. HMS Irruncible, there are a lot of varieties of what we call cantaloupe. Some are delicious, others are flavorless. I love me some Chanterais melon, but plain old muskmelon rarely tastes good. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/45 "2019-06-06T13:51:10Z")
Yankee. I’ve always put salt on watermelon, and as an adult, discovered the joy of salt on cantaloupe. Salt on peaches is also delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/46 "2019-06-06T15:45:07Z")
When I was a kid (in rural Louisiana, if region matters), salt on watermelon was just the way things were done. I’ve since learned that I prefer it without salt. I’ve also found that I prefer it at close to room temperature, rather than ice-cold. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/47 "2019-06-06T16:54:07Z")
Lurking in this thread made me buy a honeydew and a personal-sized watermelon yesterday. I used to eat (only) watermelon with salt, but I haven’t for years. Maybe I’ll try it again. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/48 "2019-06-06T17:30:16Z")
Salt on cantaloupe and watermelon, like my grandfather. Also salt on pumpkin pie, just before eating. They sell cottage cheese with chives or Swiss herbs or bell pepper with cayenne pepper or plain. I only buy the plain and put honey on it. > [@GMANCANADA](#): > > One of our favourite summer recipes is a feta cheese & watermelon salad. I cringed at the thought, but the saltiness of the feta goes great with the sweetness of the watermelon. Even my husband, who is notorious for his fussy eating habits, enjoys this salad. Who would have thunk? ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/49 "2019-06-06T18:03:50Z")
I’ve always salted watermelon and cantaloupe. I was fairly old before I found out some other people don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/50 "2019-06-06T18:58:10Z")
I also put salt and pepper on my corn on the cob. I’d seen my dad do it for decades but it looked like too much work for me and in addition salt is bad for you mkay? But then I tried it and it makes it taste amazing, so now I am a confirmed salter. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/51 "2019-06-06T19:51:09Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > I also put salt and pepper on my corn on the cob. I’d seen my dad do it for decades but it looked like too much work for me and in addition salt is bad for you mkay? But then I tried it and it makes it taste amazing, so now I am a confirmed salter. Butter and salt and sometimes pepper. Isn’t that the usual way to eat corn on the cob? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/52 "2019-06-06T19:53:29Z")
Butter yes. Up until a decade or so ago I had never tried salt or pepper on CotC! ---
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/53 "2019-06-07T00:53:38Z")
Yes, totally! Many of my favorite “recipes” involve nothing more than garden-fresh produce and a salt shaker. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/54 "2019-06-07T00:59:20Z")
my aunt will put salt on her watermelon occasionally …she tried a chunk first to see is she needs it ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/55 "2019-06-07T01:06:15Z")
> [@davey77](#): > > Yes, totally! Many of my favorite “recipes” involve nothing more than garden-fresh produce and a salt shaker. Try a dash of olive oil and a squirt of fresh lemon juice. The Greeks have been doing it for thousands of years, and they’re onto something. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/56 "2019-06-07T01:42:45Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Butter and salt and sometimes pepper. Isn’t that the usual way to eat corn on the cob? Try lime juice and a bit of cayenne. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/57 "2019-06-07T02:02:25Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Try lime juice and a bit of cayenne. Or just shake on some TaJin: [https://www.tajin.com/](https://www.tajin.com/) ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/58 "2019-06-07T03:17:18Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Butter and salt and sometimes pepper. Isn’t that the usual way to eat corn on the cob? > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Try lime juice and a bit of cayenne. Mexican street fair style: a squeeze of lime, a dab of mayonnaise, a few shakes of chili powder, and a sprinkling of grated romano cheese. (No, I don’t know how romano cheese became a Mexican street fair thing… it may in fact be a substitution. Anyway, try it once. Especially on roasted corn which is better than boiled corn) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/59 "2019-06-07T03:25:33Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Mexican street fair style: a squeeze of lime, a dab of mayonnaise, a few shakes of chili powder, and a sprinkling of grated romano cheese. > > (No, I don’t know how romano cheese became a Mexican street fair thing… it may in fact be a substitution. Anyway, try it once. Especially on roasted corn which is better than boiled corn) I’ve never had it with Romano. Here it’s cotija cheese (as I mentioned earlier in the thread in post 42.) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050/60 "2019-06-07T15:03:37Z")
I make elotes at home all the time. Usually with queso fresco cuz that’s what’s in the stores around here. I grill them with the mayo and chili powder, then cover 'em with lime and cheese hot off the grill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salt-on-melons-esp-water-melon/835050.md?page=4)