Watermelon culinary trends: Pickling and summer salad recipes

Various culinary approaches to watermelon are being highlighted as popular summer food options in Lithuania and Latvia.

In Lithuania, watermelon pickling is noted as a tradition found in Central and Southeast Asia, the United States, and Ukraine. This method uses ingredients such as dill, cherry or currant leaves, garlic, and horseradish to balance the fruit's sweetness with acidity. Watermelon can be pickled whole, halved, or quartered, utilizing both ripe and unripe fruit.

In Latvia, recipes focus on fresh summer salads. A popular preparation includes combining seedless watermelon with cucumbers, mint, basil, and feta cheese, finished with lime zest, olive oil, and black pepper.