Minted Watermelon

Subtle, yet daring. It reminds me of our first house, which was unquestionably traditional, yet screaming for a little pizzazz. Surrounded by a mammoth wrap-around porch, the symmetrical exterior was covered in painted siding, a lovely taupe color reminiscent of the early 90's. The shutters were a nondescript shade of murky blue, a color this new bride wanted to replace.

I had no intention of having burgundy shutters, which were all too common back then. Not even a hunter green or a navy blue would work for me. I wanted something that screamed, "I can decorate, and I know what I'm doing!!" After weeks of searching for the perfect color, I settled on a lovely shade of ......ummmm......purple. Ok, it was more like a plum, but it was still purple. My purple inspiration had come from a show home, a coastal show home. Never mind the fact that we were 6 hours from the coast!

The moment the purple shutters went up, I knew I had taken a big risk. On the outside I was cocky, sure of my decision, even proud of the outcome. But on the inside I was a big question mark. Unbeknownst to my husband, for several days I peeked out the window to watch for reactions of neighbors, and when I'd pull up into my driveway, I'd take just a little too long to look at the shutters. Were they okay? Were they too much? Did my husband think I was an idiot even though he acted like he supported the decision?

I got my answer about a week later when one of my husband's coworkers happened to be in the neighborhood. Later that week he stopped my husband to comment on the work being done to our house, specifically the PRIMED shutters. The PRIMED shutters?? No, they weren't PRIMED, thank you. They were SUPPOSED to be that color. Until that Saturday when I made my husband take them down and paint them hunter green.

Apparently I wasn't too good at the subtle, yet daring part when it came to my first house, but with this watermelon, I think I succeeded. You see, this is such a crazy-easy recipe that I almost hesitate to share it. If you're a fan of watermelon, though, you would miss out on a great thing if you never tried this recipe. I love the refreshing mint and the perky green color it gives to contrast the bright pink melon. Be careful not to put too much mint on the melon, or you will lose the subtlety that makes this combination so special.

The instructions? Just cube the melon into bite-size pieces and toss it with some chopped fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Thanks, Penny, of Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen, for sharing this treat!