This watermelon carving makes a festive fruit bowl for an Alice in Wonderland birthday party or a summer tea party! Here’s how to cut a watermelon into a Cheshire Cat.
Ingredients
- 1 Large oval seedless watermelon
- 1 Oblong seeded or seedless watermelon
- 2 Black olives
- 1 Strawberry
Tools/Supplies
- Green dry erase marker
- Channel & paring knife
- Wooden skewers & toothpicks
- Melon Baller
- Pins for eyes
Directions
- Wash the watermelons with cool water and pat dry. Slice about ½” from the bottom of the oval watermelon to create a sturdy base.
- Use a dry erase marker to draw an outline of the Cheshire Cat face, hair tufts, eyes, eyebrows, mouth and teeth. Use a channel knife and paring knife to trim away the design so the features of the Cheshire Cat face begin to take shape.
- Cut away the outline from the top half of the carving and away from the back to create a fruit bowl. Pull away any excess pieces of rind from the back of the carving.
- Use a melon baller to hollow out the carving—use the fruit to fill the carved bowl.
- From the oblong watermelon, cut a candy cane shaped tail from the rind and serve the excess watermelon or use it to make watermelon juice. Attach the tail to the back of the carving using wooden skewers. Attach ½ of a strawberry (stem removed) with toothpicks to make a nose. Attach black olives with pins to make eyes.
Recipe provided by the National Watermelon Promotion Board. Find more carving inspiration at www.watermelon.org/carvings.