Much ado about Watermelons

Cocomero (pronounced as ko-ko-mehro) or watermelons are a favourite summer fruit.

Juicy, sweet and refreshing, it’s the perfect fruit when you want to cool down in the hot summer days. Plus, it’s quite cheap to get them – costing about 30 cents a kilo, you could easily get a large, whole one in the market for less than two euros.

Something interesting that I’ve noticed is how watermelons are served in Rome. In the eateries here, people eat them with a fork and knife. It’s something usual to me personally as it seems quite refined for such a humble fruit.

You could also get cocomero by the slices at kioks by the roadside. There are lots of kiosks like these in Rome and this one where we visited, is somewhere in Via Aurelia.

Getting one costs more compared to if you get a whole one at the market. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience for me, eating a huge slice of watermelon next to the roadside.

You pick the watermelon slice that you want, take a knife from the small bucket and cut the flesh and enjoy the cool, sweet freshness.

I thought that the whole situation reminiscent of the roadside stalls in Asia – you could even sit at the plastic tables while you enjoy your fruit.

Nevertheless, the idea of paying to cut your own melons is quite bizarre. Perhaps it’s just me? In Singapore, hawkers always cut watermelon slices right in front of you when they are sold.