17 Feb // watermelon man

I love a good fruit salad, but how often when you buy them either on a menu or pre-packaged are they just large chunks of underripe melon? Blergh. The cafe I worked at as a teenager here in Auckland used to make a great fruit salad, theirs served doused in passionfruit, and this one I made for the NZ Herald last year had the subtle perfume of orange blossom, just for something different. Fruit salad is a great addition to a shared brunch table, and it's the perfect late summer dessert. 

This one comes to you thanks to my wayward month around South East Asia years ago, where I first learned about putting salt and chilli on to fresh fruit. It neutralises the acidity, making pineapple especially, sweeter, and lifts it to being a superbly flavoursome snack. Mint and watermelon is a classic combo already, and since a recent press release alerted me to the fact that February has been declared National Watermelon Month by a leading grower of this magical fruit, I thought I'd combine them all in one. What we end up with is a chilli-salty-sweet-minty sprinkle, and my goodness it is good.