Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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Now, Cut That Out [Fun Things You Can Make With Watermelon During Your Abundance Of Spare Time]

Posted Jun 10, 2009 by Jeff Houck

Updated Jun 10, 2009 at 11:58 AM

Last weekend in my Recipes Lost & Found column, I included directions for making a watermelon shark.

I also included one for Watermelon, Black Bean and Corn Salsa, but something about seeing a giant predator carved from a melon caught people’s attention. I got several letters and e-mails from readers saying how much they liked it. People at my church even tapped me on the shoulder about it.

My point at the time was intended to be that if you’re into seasonal eating, it’s a great time to eat watermelon.

People kinda missed that. All they saw was sharky-sharky.

Reader Janice Giuliano e-mailed to say:

I just wanted to say i saw that shark and loved it and wanted to pass that “feed"back along to you. That is so cool, great conversation piece for a party. Reminds me of a lovely basket I made for a friends bday party filled with vegetables shaped like flowers. I know you have seen them alot but it sure did look pretty as an edible centerpiece.

Hey, there’s an idea, for one of your columns: edible centerpieces. I am sure you have covered that already.

Good news, Janice. The National Watermelon Promotion Board has plenty of recipe ideas it wants to share. And lots of, um, interesting sculpting ideas for presentation purposes.

They include:

A kitty cat

A luau-worthy outrigger canoe (miniature hula dancer and coconut bra sold separately)

Flower basket

Tyrannosaurus rex.

Gene Simmons