Tasty Watermelon Bites Served as an Amuse Bouche

Do you buy watermelon in January?

Living in Oregon, I don’t think I’ve ever bought a watermelon in the month of January. But I’ve pleasantly learned that watermelon is 92% water, so you can feel good about filling up while eating it, as it hydrates while satiating your appetite. In addition, most people overlook watermelon in the winter months (that’s me!), but it is available year-round, typically as a mini-watermelon or in the pre-cut section of your produce aisle.

Loaded with vitamins A, B6 and C, watermelon is a healthy choice any time of year.

The other day I bought 2 small seedless watermelons to make a simple amuse bouche for our guests.

What is an amuse bouche, you might ask? It’s basically a French fancy name for a “tasty bite,” or small hors d’oeuvre, which is served right before the main course. Some may call it a “tingle for the taste bud.”

Another whimsical description would be to have your mouth “amused” with a bite, before starting your meal. Isn’t that fun?

Here’s what makes it different than an appetizer: They are not ordered from a menu, but are solely served at the chef’s discretion (sometimes accompanied by a complementing wine).

We have a local restaurant in Ashland (Oregon), called Amuse, where they serve an “amuse bouche,” presented to each guest at the start of the meal. It’s really fun–always a surprise–to see what the Chef has up his “culinary” sleeve. Not a lot of restaurants will do this. It’s a classy touch, in my opinion.

Here are more facts I’ve learned about watermelon: Watermelon is both a fruit and a vegetable, and it is the state vegetable of Oklahoma.

How to make amuse bouches for a dinner party:

-Use colorful fresh ingredients.
-Make ONE small, powerful yet delicate bite for each guest.
-Combine flavors that will make your guests’ taste buds sing!
-Try to present it in a way that is simple, yet special, using a small plate, glass, or even a spoon.
-Surprise your guests. Don’t let them know ahead of time that it’s coming!

In my case, I took a small piece of powerful cheese, Rogue Creamery’s Oregon Blue, and wrapped it with prosciutto around a small square of watermelon.

I added a few drops of honey, and lightly salted each “bite” with Kosher Salt. Many times watermelon is served with salt, so this combination is delicious!

And how did my guests describe the taste? A surprise “blast” of watermelony goodness.

They loved the watermelon blue cheese proscuitto wrap drizzled with honey.

Oh, and for serving you can serve on a platter, too, if you’re asked to bring an appetizer to the next party you attend!

Have you ever served amuse bouches at a dinner party? And do you buy watermelon during the winter months?

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This post is sponsored by The National Watermelon Promotion Board, in partnership with the January Progressive Party on Kitchen PLAY. I was paid for the post but as always, all opinions are my own.