We hope you’re enjoying your 4th of July! Yesterday we put together a quick edible centerpiece in about fifteen minutes and couldn’t wait to dig in (and share the photos):
We were at John’s parents’ house when his mom found the idea in one of her favorite cookbooks (Pillsbury: The Best Of Classic Cookbooks) and thought it would be a fun little project. We grabbed a watermelon plus pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, blueberries, and strawberries and got to work. First we cut off the top third of the watermelon. Tip: if your cut isn’t perfectly even, trim the edge slightly so the top sits nicely; you may also want to slice a small piece from the bottom so it won’t wobble on the table.
Next we scooped out large chunks of watermelon (sampling as you go is mandatory) and hollowed it until about two-thirds of the interior was removed. John made long criss-cross cuts to help loosen the flesh for scooping:
We also thinned the sides with a melon baller to create a clean, bowl-like effect so the fruit we returned to the shell would look like a neat little basket:
For a festive touch we added three partial star shapes along the rim. John’s mom had a small star cookie cutter, which we used as a guide. By piercing the five outer points and four inner corners with a toothpick, we removed the cutter and used the holes to cut three stars into the watermelon’s edge:
Then we filled the carved watermelon with the mixed fruit for a colorful, patriotic display that was as tasty as it was pretty.
We also tucked a few small toothpick flags into the back rim for extra red, white, and blue flair. Here it is, set in the center of the table waiting for guests to help themselves:
The centerpiece wasn’t just for us. Our friend Cat (who married into the family) came with her husband Travis and their newborn, Elsa Kelley, who was just five days old. Happy 4th, little Elsa! We were sorry she couldn’t enjoy the fruit with the rest of us.
Our baby joined the celebration too — looking adorable with his red, white, and blue buddy:
Wishing you and yours a happy and delicious 4th of July!