Watermelon Animals – holiday fun for kids

Summer and watermelon. I’ve waxed lyrical about it before (find some related watermelon posts from salads to a vokatini here), and am afraid may launch into the same well-worn but heartily merry jingle each summer anew. I know you’ll indulge me.

I have been eating and enjoying chilled slices and wedges of the fruit since they became available for the season. Usually just as it is, is best.

In an earlier post on Dark Chocolate, Dried Apricot and Roasted Hazelnut Bark, I mentioned the lovely people of Mustardseed and Moonshine, who make beautiful botanical ceramic dinner and platterware, contacting me to view their items. I agreed to feature some items this blog, based on absolute love for their creativity of the designs and the ethos behind the brand that supports a local labour force.

I prepared this super easy and very fun dish a few weeks ago, inspired by two of their pieces.

Watermelon Fish

Their ethereal Waterlily platter, based on the nymphaeas species, just lent itself to these easy to make watermelon fish, drizzled with pesto flavoured extra virgin olive oil (basil or coriander pesto work well) for a nice contrast to the sweetness. Musdardseed and Moomshine, share:

“…. fossil evidence suggests that nymphaeas have not changed much over the past 160 million years. All they have done is move about the globe, keeping in the tropical and temperate zones.”

Now there’s a wonderful fact to share with little minds as you engage them in making these.

Simply, use mini cookie cutters to fashion fish or any shape you may have. You can also cut a star or heart template on wax paper and cut around that with a sharp knife while they watch.

Watermelon Giraffe

These giraffe were such fun to make and elicited smiles from us, the adults too. I made simple herbed ricotta quenelles using two spoons – click here for the technique (to represent a hill) and stuck in wild rocket for trees.

I positioned them on the Orchid platter – orchids are such exquisite, desirable flowers, don’t you think?

Make-belief African savannas in the kitchen- get creative and enjoy!

Oh, and you still get free delivery until 8 January 2012 if you place an order for delivery in South Africa. Details here.