Cravings: Melon Madness

Ninety-plus-degree temperatures demand watermelon. We’ve always loved ours icy-cold — sprinkled with sea salt, spiked with sweet Riesling, or milkshaked at Nifty Fifty's. But this year, city chefs have a hotter idea.

Blake Joffe, the whiz behind the tapas menu at Northern Liberties’ new Bar Ferdinand (1030 North 2nd Street, 215-923-1313; barferdinand.com), wraps charred watermelon chunks with rich Serrano ham, skewering a sprig of tarragon to each with a long wooden spike (pictured).

Ninety-plus-degree temperatures demand watermelon. We’ve always loved ours icy-cold — sprinkled with sea salt, spiked with sweet Riesling, or milkshaked at Nifty Fifty's. But this year, city chefs have a hotter idea.

Blake Joffe, the whiz behind the tapas menu at Northern Liberties’ new Bar Ferdinand (1030 North 2nd Street, 215-923-1313; barferdinand.com), wraps charred watermelon chunks with rich Serrano ham, skewering a sprig of tarragon to each with a long wooden spike (pictured).

At new Water Works Restaurant (640 Water Works Drive, 215-236-9000; thewaterworksrestaurant.com), chef Adan Trinadad updates the watermelon salad with a touch of heat, searing the sweet fruit before seasoning it with feta, red onion, mint and deep, tangy balsamic vinegar.

In Wilmington, restaurant 821’s Nate Garyantes serves grilled watermelon and ’melon chutney as a sweet counter point to crisp fried soft-shell crabs and earthy polenta bread with truffle butter.