We had watermelon for lunch the other day. Whenever we have it, I am prepared to answer the questions. “Yes, you can eat a watermelon seed, it just doesn’t taste very good. I don’t think a plant can grow in your stomach because I know what plants need to grow – sunshine, soil and water. Yes, you can eat the white part, but it just doesn’t taste very good.” I like to be proactive about it so they don’t act like it’s a big dare. ‘Eat what you want, you’re not gonna die’ is the vibe I’m trying to project. (I also do not care if you dip your chicken nugget in applesauce. It’s all going to the same place.)
One girl threw me a curve ball, though. She nodded through our ‘white part doesn’t taste very good’ conversation, and then proceeded to chomp through the rind without fanfare. All of it. The green part. She worked her way from one end to nearly the middle, contentedly crunching away. I had to record it because I couldn’t believe it. She shrugged and said, “I like it.”
…. I had to taste it. Honestly? It’s not that bad. The white is like unripe pear – I’ve eaten that before – and the peel is a little bitter.