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January 2006

Updated April 2006

Main Nibbles / Beverages / Juices

Sundia Watermelon Juice

Rise and Shine to Watermelon—365 Days a Year

In the same way that we kick off summer festivities with fresh watermelons, we are kicking off our workdays and weekends with the refreshing taste of watermelon juice. You don’t have to wait for summer to roll around, because Sundia Watermelon Juice is available year-round—and it’s an ideal morning beverage. Sundia, a watermelon grower, launched its juice earlier this year and it is justifiably popular. An eight-ounce glass of 100% watermelon juice is 110 calories, approximately the same calories as orange juice.

Sundia Watermelon Juice really does a body good. It’s fat- and cholesterol-free and is high in vitamins A (to give your bleary morning eyes a boost), B6 (which helps your brain manufacture “happy” brain chemicals like seratonin and dopamine) and C (to bolster your immune system against the viruses and bacteria that lurk around doorknobs and handshakes). Lycopene, the pigment that gives watermelon its red color, has been linked to a lowered risk of many types of cancer, heart disease and even cataracts.

And, it tastes exactly as you’d imagine watermelon juice would taste. We had expected that watermelon juice would be thin and watery, like the juice that runs from the cut fruit. We were surprised by its slightly thick, pulpy consistency until we checked the label: the second ingredient is pear juice. The two flavors play off of each other well: the pear flavor adds only a little extra sweetness and lots of body and lets the watermelon juice do the rest.

After enjoying our first bottle of watermelon juice, we were ready to brainstorm ways to include it in lunch and dinner. We made light and healthy watermelon popsicles to satisfy a midday sweet tooth. We stirred a small amount in to a traditional Spanish gazpacho recipe, and we poured a mixture of watermelon juice and and lime zest into our ice cream maker to create an invigorating and slushy sorbet.

Watermelon is related to the cucumber, and we found that it worked well in dishes with its equally seedy cousin. A light salad of cucumbers, mangos and chopped parsley came together gracefully when tossed with a light coating of watermelon juice and rice wine vinegar. The sweetness of watermelon juice also pairs well with fish and seafood in more savory dishes. Use it in dishes that call for crab, shrimp, lobster or scallops and contrast the sweetness with a little bit of chopped jalapeño. The website has recipes for chutney and barbecue sauce.

• Watermelon Blackberry. In addition to the original, this is our favorite. Rich and dark, we can drink it, make spritzers from it, mix vodka with it...or best, use it as the base for a quick fruit soup. Pour it in a bowl or cup, add cut-up fruit, berries and/or grapes, squeeze a bit of lime.  And if it’s dessert, add a small scoop of sorbet or crème fraîche.
• Watermelon Juice. As said before, it’s like drinking liquid watermelon.  Yum!
• Watermelon Limeade. This is something the kids would love best. We like it, but we’d love squeezing fresh lime into the regular Watermelon Juice more.
• Watermelon Pomegranate. A combination of two great juices creates a new classic.

Depending on where you attended college, you may be familiar with the vodka-soaked watermelon. Memories inspired us to update the concept into a watermelon juice and vodka cocktail: into a tall glass filled with ice and topped it off with vodka. Garnish with pickled watermelon rind (a real treat if you can find it), lime wedges and mango cubes.

Sundia is a company “devoted to the premium watermelon experience.” Any time of day, Sundia Watermelon Juice acts as a delicious pick-me-up and for that we are committed to keeping our refrigerator stocked with it. It lets us enjoy a little bit of summer, all year long. The 12-ounce bottle is perky and will make you look like a trendsetter when you pull it out at the office or the gym.

SUNDIA WATERMELON JUICE Watermelon Juice, Watermelon Blackberry, Watermelon Limeade, Watermelon Pomegranate Case of 24 12-Ounce Bottles $38.16 Case of 6 64-Ounce Jugs $35.94 To purchase online, visit WatermelonWorks.com Shipping and taxes extra. Prices and availability are verified at publication, but are subject to change over time.