The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-04
The Watermelon
ny JANE EDDINGTON.

Tho watermelon ia GA per cent WA
ter. according to C. r. Langworthy. Phi.
D.. In charge OF governmental nutriS
ton Investigations. 1t Is. In other
words diBtended mass OF water. ia.
vorcd and mineral!zed. Like any other
drinking water in hot weather. this
needs cooling, 80 watermelon on Ice
is a matter OF course
Hero we have a pink lemonade OF thd
safe sort. minus tho lemon. as most
pink lcmonades are. but with nature's
own dyestuffs instead OF those OF the
coal tar caldrons. 1t Is n safe form of
refreshment for the child. II he dosa
not imbibe too much
or the watermelon tho Italians, w1ro
appreciate every member OF the sourd
family moro highly than other peoples
wash your face with IL" This showa
AN appreciation Of IL as nearly pura'
water. tho purest water that some OF
the residents OF the Little Italys OF our
great cities ever get
When watermelons were selling at
sl.5o apiece at tho more select resi-
dences and for 81 In a Little Italy thia
year In the latter region they were
being cut in slices less than IN inch
thick and exposed for sale along tho
thicker. this refreshment will be found
there for tho whole summer through
to defy In some degree the coal tar
poisons of the hockey poksy cart.
City markets rarely have tho waters
melon at It's sweetest and best, be-
cause II Is pluckcd before II ie ripe and
has TO ripen In storage. To De truly
safe II should be mature. but neither
under nor over ripe. People who give
II to children need TO bear this In
mind. But fortunately 1t will keep
many days without variation In a place
near freezing point. II is more like tho
citron melon In this respect than like
the muskmelon. The citron melon
VIII keep six months or moro even
without any particular care
In spite OF the fact that the water-
melon is 80 soaked with water, its
pulp is SO porous that IL will take UP a
good deal more liquid. and 1t has been
the fashion to add some expensive
ones when the melon has been for some
occasion OF note. An English woman
In Italy. In describing her entertain
ment in an Italian home. says:
The eliminating point OF Interest
was huge watermelon. allied with
sugar and cognac. which had been
hanging all day In tho Icy waters OF
the cistern."
Some OF the Delnonico fashions for
the watermelon In the days when tho
word "Delmonico" stood in America
for the best In eating were the follow.
Ing:
watermelon In Romero.-Haye a
fine. sound. large. ripe watermelon, ana
with very thin knife cut out a piece
OF the centre two inches, SQUARE hv
three and half inches deep: remove
the piece carefully and pour gradually
Into the Inside one quart bottleful or
champagne. replace the piece OF melon
In Its former position, then lay tho
melon In the ice-bo1 for six hours TO
infuse; set 1t on silver dessert dish
and send 10 table, cutting 1t according
to taste"
Watermelon a la jose Paez.-Pro.
coed exactly the Same as In tho firss
fashion, substituting ono pint OF Ia
maica rum for the champagne"
Watermelon Ia eward.-Prepara
In the same way. pouring into It ono
pint Of cognao."
Fruit syrups are used instead on
wines. and within the last two or three
years raspberry syrup has been CONS
bned with watermelon in various
ways In water Ice. etc. The watera
melon pulp without any addition la
broken into hne bits with silver fork,
put into mold or the cream container
of an Ice cream freezer. packed In ioe
for two hours. and SO half frozen for
a dessert. Or a cup of sugar and two
quarts of juice and pulp are partly
frozen, the usual whipped white of
egg. one to quart. is added and the
mixture eHtireiy frozen ike any Ice.
popular method OF late has been to
cut the pulp in little spheres and to
serve 1t in great compete glass on a
bed OF shaver Ice 1t she's be chilled
before cut. SO as to be as pa.~ly as pos.
sible the temperature OF the Ice.
less wasteful method is to cut tho
pulp Into small dice and remove tha
seeds. Powdered sugar. a little Gin
namon, and sometimes wine, are then
added and the whole, If so desired, put
back into the melon she'll.
An Ice OF the watermelon and rasp.
berry juice Is also served in a water-
melon shell, and one ingenious woman
then adds bit of sweet chocolate TO
the mixture to initiate seed.
Southern housekeepers used to boil
down tho juice of the watermelon to
make palatable table syrup and con.
sidered II one of the best substitutes
for molasscs. 1t was also added to tho
vinegar cask.