What can be prepared from melon, how to choose a ripe one and serve it beautifully. Slicing watermelon and melon for the holiday table How to properly serve melon on the table

Melon is a very tasty and healthy melon crop. Melon is recommended for use in cases of exhaustion and anemia, atherosclerosis and decreased immunity. It is best to consume melon raw, cut into slices, and also in the form of vitamin salads.

The main thing here is to choose a ripe and sweet melon. When choosing a melon, remember that a ripe melon will have a sweet smell, with a slight musky tint. The melon itself should be heavy. The tip of the melon at the base of the stem should bend slightly when pressed with your thumb.

Cutting a melon and cutting it into small pieces is not that difficult. But you always want to do it carefully, so that when slicing, all your hands, dishes and table are not splashed with sweet sticky melon juice. It is better to choose a neat method of slicing melon, which is suitable for preparing fruit salads and desserts. Beautiful and even cubes of melon can be served as an independent dish on the holiday table. Everyone will be able to enjoy the melon themselves by stabbing pieces on skewers.

My mother is a simple village woman. Sometimes she remembers
that my daughters need to be educated (it’s about time, because both are already about forty). And then we listen to maxims on the topic “How to do it culturally.”

For example, my mother drinks tea, dips a tablespoon into a jar of cherry jam, and says: “We live in the village, so we eat jam from a jar, but to be cultural (with an ironic tone and special emphasis on “cultural”), we need jam in put sockets, put a socket for everyone and eat with a teaspoon... We have sockets in the house. In the attic somewhere, we need to look for them and give them to you...” This means that my mother gave us a lecture on etiquette.

“Cultural” can also mean “beautiful.” This is in case the cucumber needs to be cut: “Whole cucumbers are not placed on the table. They need to be cut. For a village it will do even into four parts, but if you want it culturally, then you need to cut it into thin slices...”

Today I just want to show you how to cut a melon not in a simple way, but “culturally”, that is, beautifully

To begin, as usual, cut the melon in half and remove the seeds. Then we cut it into slices. And then the “cultural” begins: from the crust of one corner to the crust of another, we cut off the pulp:

After this, you can cut the slices in different ways:

It seems to me that this is quite simple and understandable. Do you think step-by-step photos are needed?

At the height of the melon season, it is difficult to pass by a counter with sunny fragrant fruits, denying yourself the pleasure of choosing the ripest and most aromatic melon for subsequent tasting and enjoying the divine taste. But it’s not enough to make a successful purchase. You must be able to properly prepare fruit for serving and know certain subtleties of etiquette when consuming it. We will talk about this and many other things related to melon further in our material.

How to properly cut a melon?

Before you start, you need to wash it thoroughly. It is better to additionally walk around the perimeter of the fruit with a washcloth lathered in laundry soap. In this way, it will be possible to wash away most of the toxins contained on the surface and all kinds of pathogenic bacteria. Thoroughly rinse the soap suds from the surface of the melon and then wipe it dry.

Now, using a sharp large knife, cut the fruit in half lengthwise and remove the seeds along with their accompanying pulp. It is convenient to do this with a tablespoon or dessert spoon.

All that remains is to cut each half into slices about one and a half centimeters thick and place them on a plate.

What is the proper etiquette for eating melon?

At home in the kitchen, you can enjoy the taste of the fragrant fruit as you please, for example, by taking a slice with your hands and biting off the pulp piece by piece. But once you find yourself at the table in decent company, you cannot allow yourself such ways of consuming delicacies. So what is the correct way to eat melon in such cases, so as not to show your worst side, but to give the impression of a cultured person?

If the melon is served on a platter in whole slices, you need to transfer one of them to your plate and cut the melon flesh piece by piece from the rind with a knife, holding the slice with a fork. When serving melon pulp in portioned pieces with skewers (as a rule, this is how fruit is served at a buffet table), you need to take the slices one at a time, temporarily transferring them to your plate or immediately putting the pulp into your mouth.

How to serve melon correctly?

If you are the initiator of the feast, then you need to know how to properly serve melon on the table. For individual serving, you need to cut the melon into slices 1.5-2 centimeters wide, cut the pulp from the peel with a sharp knife, leaving it in the same position.

After this, cut it along its entire length into small fragments (portioned pieces).

When serving melon on a common platter, the slices must be left whole, giving guests the opportunity to independently choose the one they like best and cut it themselves before eating. To do this, it is necessary to provide each person with a knife and fork.

It would also be appropriate to serve the melon in portioned pieces, placed on a common dish or in special flowerpots. Very often, balls are cut out of the melon pulp using a special device in the form of a round spoon, and they are served along with the same round portions of watermelon.

When compiling a menu for a feast, we take into account that melon should not be combined with alcohol and milk, as well as yoghurts and other fermented milk products. This duo can lead to indigestion. Cold water and carbonated drinks are also not the best travel companions for melon. It is better to consume the treat yourself, and try to maintain at least a short interval between eating melon and other food.

By eating melon correctly, you will not only receive true pleasure from its divine taste and aroma, but also replenish your body with an impressive amount of vitamins that will only benefit it.

So, we bought a sweet, tasty, and, most importantly, ripe watermelon (detailed instructions for choosing such a watermelon). How can you cut it beautifully and quickly now? Some of you may say that he does not cut the watermelon, but breaks it on his knee (head, ground), and then eats it with a spoon. The method is, of course, fast, but the result is unpredictable. I offer several ways to cut watermelon into neat slices or pieces. Everything is very easy, varied and cute.

Just in case, let me remind you that first you need to wash the watermelon well (you can even wash it with soap and rinse with boiled water). The cutting knife must also be clean. This way we will protect ourselves and our loved ones from various microorganisms that love juicy and sweet watermelon pulp as much as we do.

At a social reception:
- Why don’t you eat watermelon?
- It gets your ears dirty...

Cut the watermelon crosswise into two parts. Cut off the tops. Place half of the watermelon, cut top down, on a plate. Cut into segments, like a cake. The watermelon falls apart on the plate like a “rose”. We do the same with the second part. If the watermelon is small, then you can cut the whole fruit rather than halves in this way.

How to cut watermelon into classic semicircles (with rind)

Cut the watermelon crosswise into two halves. Cut each half into two more pieces. Place the watermelon quarters, flesh side down, and cut into equal semicircular slices.

Cut the watermelon lengthwise into two parts. Then we cut the halves again lengthwise into two more parts. Cut each quarter into small slices.

How to Slice Watermelon for a Party (without the rind)

Large slices

This method requires a large, sharp knife. Cut off the tops of the watermelon. Place the watermelon vertically and peel it with a knife to remove the rind and white pulp. Cut the peeled fruit lengthwise into two parts. Cut the half into slices. In one fell swoop, cut all these slices in half. We repeat the procedure with the other half.

In small slices

Almost the same, but more suitable for large watermelon or for cutting into small slices. See the video for the differences.

How to cut watermelon into pieces for a large company (without rind)

American way

Cut the watermelon crosswise into two halves. Place the half, flesh side down, on a cutting board. Cut off the top. Cut off the rind and white flesh. Cut the half into slices. Holding the cut half with your hand, we cut it again, but perpendicular to the cuts made. Cover everything with a dish on top and carefully turn the cutting board over. Large peeled pieces of watermelon end up on a plate. If necessary, repeat the procedure with the second half of the watermelon.

Jewish way

Almost the same thing, but without unnecessary movements. Suitable for small watermelon. So, cut the watermelon crosswise into two parts. Cut off the tops. Cut off the rind and white flesh. Place the half, cut off top, in a bowl, not on a cutting board. We cut the watermelon lengthwise and crosswise. Ready!

How to slice a watermelon at a picnic (without the rind)

These methods are perfect both for home use and for slicing watermelon on the go, when you don’t want to bother with watermelon rinds.

Cubes

Cut the watermelon crosswise. Cut the resulting halves again. Using a knife, separate the pulp, and without removing it from the crust, first cut it into slices, and then cut the slices on the sides into cubes. Pour the cubes into a plate. This cutting method is perfect for.

In slices

Cut the watermelon lengthwise into two parts. Cut the resulting halves lengthwise again. Using a knife, separate the pulp and cut it into slices right in the crust. For beauty, we move the slices apart alternately in different directions. To make the watermelon “plate” stand more securely, you can cut off part of the rind on the bottom before slicing the pulp.

In small slices

We cut the slices obtained in the previous method lengthwise. It turns out twice as many small triangles.

Triangular pieces

Cut the watermelon lengthwise. Cut the watermelon pulp lengthwise, holding the knife at a slight angle. Use a knife to separate the pulp from the crust in a circle. Again we cut the pulp lengthwise and at an angle, but we start doing this from the other top of the watermelon. We cut the pulp crosswise. The resulting small triangle pieces can be eaten directly from half a watermelon or put the required amount on a plate.

How to cut a watermelon in 30 seconds

I will not describe this method in words. It's faster to watch it than to read it.

Of course, these are not all the ways to cut something like watermelon. For example, it can be cut into shapes (using molds) or balls (with a noisette spoon).

You can use a special cutting device.

You can even cut a cylinder out of a watermelon, and then cut it randomly.

I think, friends, you know other ways to cut watermelon. Share them in the comments!

Sweet and juicy melon not only perfectly quenches thirst. It is also rich in easy-to-digest sugar, proteins, starch, silicon, vitamin C, organic acids, potassium, sodium, iron and can easily replace a full meal. In order for the melon to bring not only benefits, but also aesthetic pleasure, we suggest beautifully cutting the aromatic representative of melons.

1.

The traditional way to cut melon is into wedges. But to spice things up and give an unforgettable taste to your guests, o b fill them with salted ham ( X Amon). This typical appetizer of Spanish cuisine will come in handy when melon season is in full swing.

2.

Fruit salad served in a fresh melon “plate” tastes twice as good. Even ordinary fruits and berries will delight guests if you serve them in such an unusual"dishes" . Ice cream scoops and even soup look attractive in halves, cleared of seeds.

3.

You can also make an original “basket” from sweet melon. To do this, you need to carefully cut two oval side holes in the melon so that it looks like the desired product with a handle. Then remove the seeds and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. In such a “basket” you can serve fresh berries and fruits, decorating them with mint sprigs.

4. "vases" with curly edges

To get a beautiful “vase”, you need to use a sharp knife to cut the fruit diagonally from top to bottom to a depth of about 2/3 of the melon’s height. Then tilt the melon half and cut out triangles. Then remove the seeds and the luxurious “vase” is ready!

5.

A homemade melon “frigate” will be an excellent idea for serving a children’s table - the children will be immensely happy with such a dessert. To do this, you need to take half of the fruit and remove the lower part with a knife so that the base is stable, and make sails from the peel cut into strips, placing them on wooden skewers.

6.

If you want to surprise your guests with your culinary skills, decorate your holiday table with fruit flowers. Melon will easily become part of an unforgettable composition. You don't need special preparation, just desire and imagination. Arm yourself with a knife, cookie cutters and a special spoon to get even balls and your fresh idea is sure to delight your guests.

7.

With carving tools, you can get exquisite “flowers” ​​on an ordinary melon. Complex figured cutting requires skill, skill, and patience, but the simplest techniques are available to everyone if desired. Carved ornaments made to your taste will make your dishes more appetizing and unique.

Have fun creating!