Tried & True - Slice Your Watermelon In A Jiffy!

Happy National Watermelon Day! Just going to lay it out there, I have a small obsession with watermelon... Like, not just as a tasty, wonderful, amazing treat, but as a thing, or a concept, or...I'm not really sure how to explain it.  I just like it. I have salt and pepper shakers, pillows, knickknacks, bowls and platters, earrings; it's my computer wallpaper, my phone background, my tablet background; my 16th birthday was watermelon themed, my first AOL screen name was H2Omelon7, you just associate my name with the luscious red and green and black fruit. I think this sums it up:

We literally pulled the car over for me to run up and snag a pic among this storefront's decor!

Get the gist? Needless to say, I couldn't let this day pass by without some props! So, I decided to celebrate not only by buying a big juicy watermelon, but by sharing a brand new watermelon-related Cuddleshrub Clue. Watermelon is delicious, but can be a tedious process when it comes to cutting it up. I've tried a couple different ways to cut it up to speed up the cutting, but I got pumped when this video made the rounds on Facebook (and was sent to me by more than one person...):

 

 So, my watermelon-loving friends, I decided to test this out for you and see if it indeed works...annnndddd, IT DOES!  I was just tickled when I made my last cut and flipped my melon over and it all dumped out. Total amazeballs. I suggest not going as fast the the gentleman in the video, for fear of chopping off a finger, but if you take your time and slice carefully, this will cut your watermelon attack time in half.  If you're too lazy to watch the video, basically you cut the melon in half, then make several cuts down both sides of the melon, without completely cutting through, then cut around the inside of the melon and through it, so that when you flip it over, it comes out in square-like chunks.  Here's a few tips on getting started: 1.) Use a large cutting board. 2.) A sturdy bowl to catch your melon works better than a baggie. And 3.) Be sure to use a very sturdy, sharp knife to cut through the rind of the melon, and like I said, slow down! 

Yes, that's a watermelon-themed sun-tea jug. :)

Many thanks to my bro and sis-in-law for my fancy chef knife and huge cutting board - a great Christmas present.  That knife made smooth cuts through the tough rind.  One more tip: use a smaller knife to cut around the melon and make the slits...it's easier (and safer!) to maneuver, especially if you have a bulkier melon.  Here's the proof the the method works:

Tried and true, it's your proven Cuddleshrub Clue! Now I'm back to the kitchen to cut up strawberries and pineapple...now THERE'S a fruit that needs a trick to speedy slicing!

Oh, and P.S. here's my FAVORITE way to celebrate National Watermelon Day (and also my annual and mandatory way to celebrate my birthday...):

Friendly's Wattamelon Roll WattaRULES!