Last week I offered here an “Indoor Picnic” menu; its dessert was watermelon balls mixed with chopped mint, placed in a big martini glass and covered by sweet sparkling wine. The bubbly suggestion was a sweet, sparkling red wine from Italy from the grape called brachetto d’acqui, which is available in supermarkets and wine shops.
“The dessert was outstanding; we’ve had all our friends try it,” e-mails Barb from Coral Gables.
“Do you have a name for it?” asks Ben Neji, at the Wine69 shop on Biscayne Boulevard. “Did you use melon or watermelon?”
Ben, I used watermelon with this because it’s the quintessential picnic melon. Also, it seems to be more porous and better able to absorb the sparkling wine than firmer melos.
But I use other melons for my traditional Christmas day brunch salad. I ball green melons and yellow melons, drop in some blueberries, add some mint and a bit of orange-flavored Grand Marnier liqueur.
As for a name for the watermelon dish, I don’t know, Ben.
Anybody have any ideas?
Fred:
Your suggestion of Watermelon and Brachetto is excellent.
I tried it with a Brachetto Dolce DOC from Bellavita from Wine 69 in Miami.
Great combination!
Thank you for the recipe.
My suggestion for a name is: "Fruta Fresca al Brachetto".
Posted by: Hermes | August 24, 2008 at 12:42 PM