One of summer’s fabulous fruits is watermelon — crisp, juicy and so refreshing on a warm, sunshiny day. Most of our watermelons are grown close to home; small to large, seeded and seedless varieties come from Sugarland and Aloun farms in Kunia.

Round or oval, watermelons should be heavy for their size and have a hollow sound when you thump them with your fingers. A dull, not shiny rind without soft spots or blemishes is ideal. The flesh should be bright red, full of juicy sweetness and, of course, seeds. Part of the fun of eating watermelon is spitting out the seeds! Seedless varieties actually do have some seeds, but they tend to be soft and edible.

Watermelon is, as its name implies, watery, with more than 90 percent water. But there are nutritional pluses to watermelon such as vitamins A, B6 and C. Its red pigment is an excellent source of lycopene. Two cups of watermelon has just 80 calories, making it a terrific snack.

Watermelon is best eaten chilled and cut in thick slices. Or, use bits and pieces to make agua fresca, a south-of-the-border drink:

Cut watermelon flesh into chunks and remove all seeds. Place in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice and a little sugar to taste. Pour into tall glasses and quench your thirst!

Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.