# Watermelon: A Poll **URL:** \ **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:** 17\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![zuer-coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ba9def/32.png) [@zuer-coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuer-coli)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/101 "2008-07-23T23:50:48Z")
Dear doper folk Well cold and plain, but the best watermelon was after a hot day of bailing hay, we would have gotten a watermelon on Friday night and put it in the milk cooler (In those days we still put our milk in a can rather than a bulk-milk tank.) Nothing like a good days farm work to lend a flavour. Well to be fair I wouldn’t trade now for then, but yes in memory at least, that was the very best watermelon. Z ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/102 "2008-07-24T02:38:41Z")
I’m sorry, I didn’t read the thread, but I did search for vodka. I like watermelon raw, with an implement of destruction. Usually a fork or spoon, but sometimes it’s a blender, with a bit of vodka adding to the carnage. However, I did come upon a salad recipe involving adulterated watermelon some time ago that made me really happy that you might also enjoy: Scoop out half a watermelon and pour the juice into a food processor. Add a pint of raspberries and 1/3 c raspberry vinegar and puree. Drizzle in 1 c olive oil. Strain that mess through cheesecloth to get out the seeds & stuff. Toss 6 c arugula, the melon balls, 1 pt raspberries, 12 oz feta. Drizzle with the dressing. It’s fine, and a nice starter. Not the same as raw with a spoon, though. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/103 "2008-07-24T02:45:53Z")
The fruit vendors here will cut them up for you into little chunks. We take them home and stick them in the fridge (the watermelon chunks, not the fruit vendors). Nothing like good, sweet, chilled watermelon, and we have it year-round. Mmmm. As is with nothing added. And I eat the seeds too, the ones that don’t drop off. I hate spitting, plus I consider it “roughage.” ---
**Author:** ![Necroscopics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ba9def/32.png) [@Necroscopics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necroscopics)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/104 "2008-07-24T13:43:04Z")
I’m a huge watermelon fan myself. I have eaten entire watermelons by myself, but always plain, room temperature or cold (no preference - just not warm!) My friend makes a version of trashcan punch (he calls it Wapatui) with watermelons and tons of liquor. It’s pretty delicious and all the alcoholic fruit makes a good hair-of-the-dog next morning hangover breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Chiefcw4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7cd45c/32.png) [@Chiefcw4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chiefcw4)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/105 "2008-07-24T17:44:10Z")
[QUOTE=Hockey Monkey] 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. [/QUOTE] Cold from the fridge with salt. NC ---
**Author:** ![roberta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@roberta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roberta)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/106 "2009-12-12T17:29:17Z")
I grew up in a small California community, where we had fresh fruit nearly all year. Maybe due to the fact that my parents were from the South, it was common to put salt on watermelon and/or cantelope (and some other fruit). I think that some folks also put pepper on it; but that’s not for me. Recently, I discovered that I really liked the taste of watermelon and/or cantelope when I sprinkled lemon juice on it and added salt too. I am totally hooked! Roberta ---
**Author:** ![roberta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@roberta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roberta)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/107 "2009-12-12T17:54:42Z")
> [@unstrung](#): > > Consider me in the “salt-added” camp. Oh, yessssss… > > Anyway, more worldly folks than me have mentioned several other potential watermelon additives, and I gotta admit that you all have me curious. So, for someone like me who absolutely loves trying any new food-type thing, but whose situation currently precludes visiting anything other than the standard US grocery store, can you give me any options of easy-to-find-in-my-standard-grocer’s-cupboard things that I might try? > > [Already noted - lime (with possible chili powder or cayenne), cottage cheese, pico de gallo, feta, and several indian spices which sound delightful but which I suspect will not appear at my local Publix] Chunks of watermelon with lemon juice and salt…yum! Love it better when all the chunks are basting in the lemon juice. It’s a good thing I can get watermelon year round because I am totally hooked on this fruit. Also, cantelope is good mixed with the watermelon or all by itself in the same concoction. roberta ---
**Author:** ![Trick\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Trick\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trick_Rider)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/108 "2009-12-13T00:35:46Z")
> [@Lionne](#): > > I’m sorry, SALT? On watermelon? eeeugggh…until today I’ve never heard of this. > > I take my watermelon as cold as possible, plain. Did I post this? I don’t think I’ve ever bee anything but Trick Rider here. 😃 So, how popular is salt on watermelon? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/109 "2009-12-13T00:39:19Z")
Plain. ice cold, eaten outside so that the juice can run down my chin and not end up on the furniture or carpet. ---
**Author:** ![Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Speak\_to\_me\_Maddie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speak_to_me_Maddie)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/110 "2009-12-13T00:57:54Z")
Cold, almost forzen, straight out of an ice chest filled with icewater. Eaten outside in the blazing Texas summer sun. It must be cut into sliced halves, and eaten with the hands, with salt. The seeds spit out onto ground. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/111 "2009-12-13T01:54:50Z")
> [@Trick\_Rider](#): > > Did I post this? I don’t think I’ve ever bee anything but Trick Rider here. 😃 > > So, how popular is salt on watermelon? My mom puts salt and pepper on hers, but I think most people do not. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/112 "2009-12-13T01:57:00Z")
I put salt on mine. It pulls out the juices from the melon and makes it taste sweeter, I think. I prefer it room temperature. Cold is too hard on my teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/113 "2009-12-13T02:45:51Z")
Plain, and any temperature below hot. My husband is another one that doesn’t like melons. I have to warn him when I’m eating honeydew so he doesn’t accidentally wander into the kitchen and encounter it. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/114 "2009-12-13T02:52:56Z")
it is entirely too cold outside to be resurrecting watermelon threads ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/115 "2009-12-13T10:40:44Z")
I want mine cold and unadulterated, though I might try spiking one with some rum. I have tried melon, all kinds of melon, with salt, and I don’t care for it at all. I’m also not fond of hothouse melons. I think that they just don’t have enough flavor. Seedless watermelon is easier to eat, but again, I think they’ve lost some of the good flavor. I loved yellow watermelon even before it was very popular. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/116 "2009-12-13T11:54:54Z")
> [@Kat](#): > > 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. - on this ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780/117 "2009-12-13T15:11:36Z")
Mmmmmmmmm… watermelon. I love it lightly salted, but usually eat it plain, cold from the fridge, since it’s healthier. Now, cantelope… can’t stand the smell of it. I got sick eating it when I was abouot 5, and ever since that time… bleh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/watermelon-a-poll/456780.md?page=5)