# Watermelon: A Poll
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 17, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780 "2008-07-17T01:34:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/1 "2008-07-17T01:34:29Z")
I just finished half of a small, juicy, delicious watermelon and I became curious as to how Dopers take theirs. I like mine cold from the fridge with salt. A few years ago I heard of someone putting sugar on theirs. This seemed to me to be an abomination, but what the hay, to each their own.
So what say you Teeming Masses? Salt, sugar, or plain? Cold or room temp? Are there regional differences? I need to know. OK, not really, but I do \*\*want \*\* to know.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/2 "2008-07-17T01:35:46Z")
Plain, room temperature or cold, and GIMME.
I also like to put _chat masala_ on mine, but I don’t do this in public, since it smells funny to lots of non-Indians. At home, though, YUM.
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### Author:  [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/3 "2008-07-17T01:36:51Z")
Don’t care about temp, but I think they do lose some flavor if refrigerated too long. I’m a big fan of salt, but I don’t do it all the time.
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### Author:  [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/4 "2008-07-17T01:38:01Z")
Plain and cold is best. Second choice: plain and room temperature. I’ve never put salt _or_ sugar on it (just because no one I know did), and now I don’t have any plans to try it, cuz I’m supposed to watch both.
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### Author:  [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/5 "2008-07-17T02:11:19Z")
Plain for me. Usually it’s cold, because I’ve stored it in the fridge, but I’m okay with room temp, too.
Whenever I hear about salted watermelon I think I should try it. But, when I actually have watermelon in front of me, all I can think about is eating it. 🙂
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/6 "2008-07-17T02:21:05Z")
Another plain and cold, here. We finally got watermelon in at work for the fruit we give with the kid meals, so everyone has been snacking on it. The kitchen manager knows to always order extra watermelon. 😛
Good thing he’s a cool guy and doesn’t mind.
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### Author:  [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/7 "2008-07-17T02:32:51Z")
Cut that thing and hand me a fork. Or even better, hand me the big slice and let me take it outside, so I can spit the seeds. The only thing coming back is the light green and the dark rind. My mom always cut a watermelon into wedge slices, so everybody got part of the middle and part of the end. Easy to hold and bite into.
I will occasionally put a bit of salt on it, but usually just plain.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/8 "2008-07-17T02:36:30Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika]
Plain, room temperature or cold, and GIMME.
I also like to put _chat masala_ on mine, but I don’t do this in public, since it smells funny to lots of non-Indians. At home, though, YUM.
[/QUOTE]
OK, I now need to try this.
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### Author:  [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/9 "2008-07-17T02:41:52Z")
Cold or room temperature with salt _and_ cracked black pepper. I’ve also eaten it with some really quality mixed olives on the side. Believe it or not, olives and watermelon seem to have an unusual affinity.
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### Author:  [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/10 "2008-07-17T02:45:32Z")
None for me…more for you. I don’t actively dislike it; it just doesn’t taste like much of anything to me.
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### Author:  [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/11 "2008-07-17T02:48:34Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> I also like to put chat masala on mine, but I don’t do this in public, since it smells funny to lots of non-Indians.
Is that with black salt? Kala namak and hing were the only spices I could never, ever get used to in India.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/12 "2008-07-17T03:20:40Z")
[QUOTE=Lama Pacos]
Is that with black salt? Kala namak and hing were the only spices I could never, ever get used to in India.
[/QUOTE]
[Chat Masala](http://recipes.recipeland.com/recipes/recipe/show/Chat_Masala_19681):
> [@](#):
>
> Asafetida, mango powder, and black salt distinguish the chat masala from other masalas, giving the blend a sourness that makes it a welcome accompaniment to fresh fruit and other snacks. ‘Chat’ refers to various snacks and to the North Indian cafes that serve them. Fresh fruit often is sprinkled with lime juice and chat masala. Black salt (which is actually reddish gray), available at Indian food stores, has a distinctive flavor that’s quite different from sea salt or table salt. The garam masala is the wild card in this recipe; either one of the (Tamil Nadu Curry Powder or Punjabi-Style Garam Masala) masalas may be used.
Kala namak I usually put on my cantaloupe, actually.
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### Author:  [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/13 "2008-07-17T03:22:51Z")
Interesting results so far. I will try some cracked pepper on the other half.
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### Author:  [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/14 "2008-07-17T03:32:37Z")
Room temp and au natural.
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### Author:  [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/15 "2008-07-17T03:38:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey]
I just finished half of a small, juicy, delicious watermelon and I became curious as to how Dopers take theirs.
[/QUOTE]
Cold, with salt, orally.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/16 "2008-07-17T03:40:02Z")
[QUOTE=Lama Pacos]
Is that with black salt? Kala namak and hing were the only spices I could never, ever get used to in India.
[/QUOTE]
Oh, and hing isn’t my favorite, either. It’s used predominantly by merchant castes, who aren’t supposed to eat garlic or onions. When cooked, it starts to smell like sauteed garlic & onions, and thus adds flavor.
I, being mixed caste and thoroughly irreverent anyway, love onions and garlic.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/17 "2008-07-17T03:48:24Z")
I like it cold. Ate it with salt when I was a kid but plain now.
If you cut it before putting it in the fridge, the natural sugars rise to the top and the first bite, with all that concentrated natural flavor and sweetness, is about the best thing your taste buds can ever experience.
The trade-off is that the stuff closer to the rind is pretty bland.
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### Author:  [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/18 "2008-07-17T03:50:04Z")
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63]
None for me…more for you. I don’t actively dislike it; it just doesn’t taste like much of anything to me.
[/QUOTE]
I’m in your camp **lobotomyboy63**. Not a big fan. The only way I’ll eat it is ice cold right out of the fridge as it’s solely to quench my thirst. If it sits out for more than a minute I won’t touch it.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/19 "2008-07-17T03:54:49Z")
Any and all. I just ate a big hunk with … lessee, “black lava sea salt from Hawaii.”
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### Author:  [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/20 "2008-07-17T04:11:25Z")
No watermelon at all. Can’t stand the stuff – sugared, plain, slathered in BBQ. My favorite is thrown off a bridge. Really! I never liked it as a kid, either.
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