Watermelon Fruit Decorations

Watermelon can be used for eye-catching fruit decorations.

The art form of carving vegetables and fruit began in Asia and the Middle East, but has since become a well-known decoration across the world. Watermelons lend themselves particularly well to fruit carving, since their large size allows for an ample carving area. Watermelons can be carved in a variety of ways, though some are more complex than others.

Basket

A watermelon basket is an easier introduction into fruit carving; requiring only a few cuts and prepared fruit salad. Slice down the center of a medium-to-large watermelon from the top and bottom, leaving a 3-inch gap between the cuts. Cut straight down the middle to the inner corner of the cuts, so the remaining melon is a basic basket with a handle. Hollow out the basket and fill it with fruit salad; add decorative cuts to the handle and basket rims.

Baby Buggy/Carrier

Creating more complicated decorations, such as a baby carrier, can also be done with watermelon. Cut into the side and top of the melon to open up the front quarter. Hollow out the open side of the cut, and create angular cuts in the vertical side for the buggy hood. Fill the buggy with fruit salad, and cut a piece of rind to stick in the salad to represent the handle. Fix half a grape on top of a pineapple ring to the side of the watermelon using toothpicks at all four corners to simulate wheels.

Round Decorations

Many other variations of fruit carving exist. A simple pool ball can be created by hollowing out a watermelon like a pumpkin, then shaving the rind around the pool ball numeral. A similar approach can be used to make a teacup, where carvers need only fix some rind for the handle and spout to the side of the watermelon with toothpicks.

Animals

Other decorations can be made by hollowing out the melon, then adding different features. Two hollowed out sides can be placed on top of each other and stuffed with fruit salad to make a dinosaur mouth. Add toothpicks around the rim for teeth, then carve the eyes. A long watermelon can also be made into a variety of animals by removing the top third and back two thirds of the melon. Fill the body with fruit salad, carve the front section into animal ears, and carve eyes or add extra pieces or rind to fill out the face.

Tags: fruit salad, with fruit, with fruit salad, fruit carving, carve eyes, pool ball