Tomato Watermelon Salad

Tomatoes and melon- surprisingly good together

I firmly believe that watermelon and tomatoes are two of the great gifts of summer. They almost make up for the heat. I had never thought of putting them together in a salad until Steven and I ate at the Mercantile. The Mercantile is a lovely spot for lunch in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. They have all kinds of Missouri wines and beers. If you are in Excelsior Springs for a visit (and you should be) stop by and have lunch. They have a great watermelon tomato salad. I should know. I had it as a side to my tuna melt.  It was light and refreshing which is a good thing because right now it is hot and dry in Missouri.

I decided I wanted this salad again (and a lot more than a side portion). That very next week, my incredible CSA haul included tomatoes, cucumbers and watermelon. (Yum!) I have lots of mint in the yard (the mint may be the only thing unaffected by the drought).  All I needed was feta. I found a nice peppercorn feta at the local market and I was set.

Fresh watermelon- Yum!

This is another one of those salads that you change to your tastes or what you have on hand. We experimented and tried it with different vinegars, a red wine, and plain. I liked them all. Steven like the balsamic vinegar best. 

Small tasting bowls-- the sacrifices I make to find the perfect combo

I chose not to add olive oil-- I thought it was not necessary and would just add fat and calories. I really wanted to focus on the fresh tastes of the salad. I think other melons would work great too. I can't wait to try them.

The best part-- pick and choose to your tastes and the number of people your are serving. I think that mozzarella, provolone,  or blue cheese would be great instead of the feta (with the appropriate mixing and matching of herbs). The recipe below was just enough to feed Seven and me -- add more to feed more-- I go by taste for this recipe.

Tomato Watermelon Salad

Large Slice of Watermelon, Diced
Large Tomato, Diced
Slice of Purple Onion, Diced
1/2 of a Cucumber, Peeled, Seeded and Diced
2 Ounces (55 g) of Feta Cheese, Diced or Crumbled
1-2 Tablespoons of Herbs, Diced
Salt and Pepper, To Taste
2-3 Tablespoons of Vinegar or Wine (Optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and serve.

The finished salad

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes-- love love love this. I think I am going to try honey drew or casaba melon next.