Summer evokes images of sunny days, blue skies, cool water, summer grilling, and juicy watermelon. And mid-June to late August is peak watermelon season, which got me thinking . . .
I saw a recipe the other day for grilled watermelon and thought, now THAT would make a great summer pairing with our Meniketti Wines Temptation Rosé! But instead of firing up the grill on a hot day, I opted to create a simple, delicious, cold salad that paired exceptionally well with our Temptation Rosé.
How to Pick the Best Ingredients
I’ve learned a few things in my lifetime about choosing good ingredients. Here are a few tips that pertain to this recipe:
Choose a firm, ripe watermelon—a hefty one with a large, pale-yellow splotch (the bit that sat on the ground) means it’s nicely ripe and ready for eating. The stem should be intact, dry, and brownish.
To tell if a lime is ripe, do the scratch-and-sniff test: give a slight scratch to the lime’s skin and then check the lime’s scent; it should smell limey, but if there isn’t much of a smell then it’s under-ripe. Flavor is subjective to your own taste preference: limes that are lighter green/pale yellow are juicier, less tart, with lower acidity, and taste more limey; very green limes have more tartness.
When the band played Athens several years ago, Dave & I filled our bellies on Greek salad (it’s just salad there 😉) with authentic, fresh Feta cheese and its crumbly, salty, tangy goodness. A little bit goes a long way, so in this Watermelon Salad recipe use it sparingly, to your taste. If you’re on a plant-based diet, Violife makes a really tasty block of Feta (carnivores can’t tell the difference).
Extra virgin is the highest grade of olive oil and is made without the use of chemicals or excessive heat. There are huge differences in the quality, taste, aroma, and color of extra virgin olive oils. Like wine, high-quality extra virgin olive oil can be well paired with foods. Among its many uses, a mild or medium strength extra virgin olive oil is ideal for vegetables and salad dressing.
Recipe
Watermelon Salad
- Fresh watermelon, cut into bite-sized cubes
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Olive oil
- Fresh lime juice
In a large bowl, add the watermelon cubes. Crumble feta cheese into bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top, add a splash of fresh lime juice, and toss to coat. Serve cold in individual bowls. Enjoy with a glass of our Meniketti Wines Temptation Rosé!
Variation: Add chopped cucumber and/or chopped mint.
Order award-winning Meniketti Wines (ships to 43 states).
Dave Meniketti, Feta Cheese, Feta cheese recipe, Meniketti Wines, Meniketti Wines Temptation Rosé, Rosé, Rosé Pairing, Temptation Rosé, Violife, Watermelon, Watermelon & Rosé, Watermelon & Rosé Pairing, Watermelon Pairing, Watermelon recipe, Watermelon Salad
