Watermelon Granita

Granita is made by mixing fruit juice with sugar water, or wine or
liqueur, and freezing it.
I enjoy making granita with seasonal fruits, not just watermelon.
It's simple and delicious. That's the only reason.
Granita is served as a palate cleanser in French courses, and unlike smooth sherbet, it has a crunchy texture.

It is often made with
oranges or grapefruit, but watermelon is also quite delicious.

The gritty texture, which is different from the smoothness of sherbet, is nice.

This time, I decorated it with mint from the garden.
The bowl is Tanba ware.
For something with a high water content, I used a bowl with strong earthy elements to create a calm, harmonious finish.

Watermelon is a kigo (seasonal word) for autumn

Watermelon is a kigo for autumn (early autumn).
Originally, it was harvested around the beginning of autumn, but thanks to greenhouse cultivation and selective breeding, it has now become an indispensable part of summer life.
But sometimes, after eating it, I suddenly feel a sense of nostalgia and the early signs of autumn.

Cutting a watermelon, to someone who says they are leaving right away - Kazuko Nishimura

It makes me chuckle. There are people like that.
Yes, my mother (laughs).

If this were a melon or a peach,
the scene might look a bit different.
If I were the one visiting and saw the netting of a melon from the kitchen,
I wouldn't say I'm leaving right away (laughs).

The common touch that watermelon brings
"Well, well, why don't you stay and have a slice?"
makes me imagine a scene in a living room like that.
I think it's watermelon that adds a little bit of excitement to everyday life.

Nutrition and benefits of watermelon

To touch on watermelon a bit more realistically,
90% of the red flesh inside is water, which provides hydration, has a diuretic effect, and is said to be good for preventing kidney disease. Lycopene, which has antioxidant properties, is said to be 1.5 times that of tomatoes.
It is also rich in potassium, which helps with swelling and fatigue recovery, and dietary fiber, which helps remove excess salt from the body and lower blood pressure.
It also has the effect of regulating the stomach and slowing down the sudden rise in blood sugar levels.

I have suffered from pyelonephritis twice and have experienced hospitalization, so my doctor often recommended that I "eat watermelon."
However, since the diuretic effect is not something I want to experience in just any situation, I think carefully about when I eat it.

Also, the white part of the watermelon rind contains a nutrient called citrulline, which expands blood vessels and promotes blood flow. It seems it's good for light pickling.

Surprisingly, in Southeast Asia, there are places where they roast and eat watermelon seeds. They contain lipids (linoleic acid) and minerals such as magnesium.
Sprouting from your belly button... is that just a Showa-era thing?

Watermelon from the perspective of medicinal cooking

Four natures and five flavors: Sweet, cold nature
Meridians: Heart, stomach, bladder
Strongly cools the body and reduces swelling.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is called natural Byakkoto (a representative formula for cooling heat), and the red part is considered optimal for heatstroke prevention as it cools the body's heat, but those who are sensitive to cold or have weak stomachs should be careful not to eat too much.

Lastly.

Watermelon is a kigo for autumn, butwatermelon splitting is a kigo for summer.
A few years ago, I did watermelon splitting at a certain beach.
When I said I didn't have anything to split the watermelon with, a friend brought an iron pipe, so we quietly moved to a place where there were no people and I tried swinging it down with all my might.

It's a finish that smells a bit like an incident (laughs), but the taste was very delicious, a summer memory.