Watermelon Basket -- A Memphis Summer Tradition Worth Sharing

August 2024. Memphis summer, 65 years old, and the heat wraps around Orange Mound like a wet blanket that nobody asked for but everybody wears because that is the deal you make when you live in the South. The smoker calls louder in summer — something about the heat amplifying the smoke, the way humidity amplifies everything in Memphis — and I answer, because answering is what pitmasters do.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 40 years of marriage. Walter Jr. came by with the grandchildren, bringing the noise and energy that grandchildren bring, the house expanding to hold them the way a good pot expands to hold a good stew.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

With the grandchildren running through the yard and the smoked turkey wings resting on the rack, I needed something cool and bright to set in the middle of the table — something that said summer the way Orange Mound says summer, without any fuss. Rosetta always reaches for the watermelon when the family fills the house, and she is right to do it. A carved watermelon basket piled high with fresh fruit is humble and beautiful at the same time, the way most things worth doing are, and it gives the grandchildren something to gather around while the grown folks talk and the smoke settles over the yard.

Watermelon Basket

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 large oblong watermelon (about 20 lb)
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups green grapes, halved
• 2 cups cantaloupe, balled or cubed
• 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
• 2 cups honeydew melon, balled or cubed
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, for garnish
• 2 tablespoons honey (optional, to drizzle)
• Juice of 1 lime

Instructions

1. Mark the basket. Place the watermelon on a stable cutting board. Using a marker or toothpick, draw a horizontal line around the widest middle point. On the top half, mark a 2-inch-wide handle strip running lengthwise from one end to the other.
2. Carve the basket. Using a sharp, long knife, cut along the lines on either side of the handle, then cut away the two “lid” sections on both sides of the handle, removing them carefully. Cut straight down where the handle meets the basket walls so it stands cleanly.
3. Hollow the melon. Use a large spoon or melon baller to scoop out the watermelon flesh from the basket and the removed lid pieces. Cut the scooped watermelon into bite-sized chunks or balls and set aside in a large bowl. Remove any remaining rind from the inside walls, leaving a clean shell.
4. Optional edge decoration. Use a paring knife or cookie cutter to cut a simple zigzag or scalloped pattern along the top rim of the basket for a festive look.
5. Toss the fruit. In a large bowl, gently combine the reserved watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple, and honeydew. Add lime juice and drizzle with honey if using. Toss gently to combine.
6. Fill and garnish. Spoon the mixed fruit into the watermelon basket, mounding it slightly above the rim. Tuck fresh mint leaves throughout for color and fragrance. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 110 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 10mg