Although they held a strange fascination for us as children, melon ballers certainly aren't the first thing that come to mind when we think about essential kitchen equipment these days. But if you've unearthed one during your kitchen de-cluttering and are on the fence about tossing it in the give-away pile, we think you should keep it. Here's why...
In Praise of the Melon Baller
We received a melon baller years ago as part of a kitchen "essentials" kit, and after a few nostalgia-prompted fruit salads, it disappeared into the recesses of our kitchen drawer. As we've gotten more into cooking, however, we've brought it out more and more.
A melon baller makes the perfect little scoop for all sorts of kitchen tasks where a knife is too unwieldy and a spoon is too flimsy. The edge on ours is also sturdy and sharp enough to easily cut through most fruits and vegetables.
Here's where we use ours:
• Cleaning the choke out of artichokes
• Coring apples
• Getting the seeds out of watermelons
• Scooping the seeds out of cucumbers
• Scraping the strings from the inside of winter squash
• Getting the pit out of plums and other stone fruit
• And of course, making the occasional melon ball!
Like we said, we don't use this tool every day, but it makes all these tasks so much easier that we'll definitely be keeping ours!
Do you use a melon baller for something other than making fruit salads?
Related: Decluttering Tip: Use It or Lose It!
(Image: Emma Christensen for the Kitchn)
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Melon ballers are just the right size to make tiny scoops or balls of ice cream. I did this at a wedding where we served the little scoops of ice cream in pleated paper cups with disposable wooden ice cream tasters tucked inside.
view faith's profile
Getting seeds out of tomatoes, for stuffed tomatoes.
view splim's profile
I use it for scooping out the inside top of cupcakes to fill with chocolate ganache or extra frosting. Makes a super sweet surprise when people bite in.
Also leaves tiny bigs of cupcakes - perfect for cake balls or tasting parties.
view audacious's profile
I used it Saturday to scoop the perfect portion of cake batter into mini cupcake tins.
The Saturday before that I used it to scoop the perfect appetizer size meatballs for a party!
Ironically, I've never used it for fruit...yet!
view missmarie's profile
I love using it to core apples- but any recommendations for one sturdy enough for the task? I've had a series of inexpensive ones that bend or snap after a year or so- I'm willing to shell out a bit more if there's one that might say make it to year 5...
view pdx-R's profile
how do you use it to get seeds out of watermelon? wouldn't you be taking out a big chunk of the actual melon too?
view fardaesm's profile
I use mine all the time. I have the double sided one - one side is smaller than the other.
I use it for:
Seeding cucumbers
Seeding cantaloupes and honeydew
Seeding various squashes
Hollowing out zucchini for stuffing
Coring apples and pears
Measuring cookie dough for tiny cookies
Hollowing out cupcakes
Measuring meatballs for perfect appetizer sizes
Scraping curls of chocolate from a big block
...
The list goes on and on. I probably use mine 3-4 times a week, if not more. The only thing I haven't ever used it for was ... well ... making melon balls!
view KaraSP's profile
I eat apples and pears every day for breakfast when they are in season, and I just leave mine next to the fruit bowl. I have this thing where I need to eat my fruit halved and cored...
view gourmandizzy's profile
Can't you do most of this stuff with a spoon? Seeding melons & squashes is definitely a spoon task, as is measuring doughs. Only thing that seems to really require a melon baller is the cupcake idea and seeding cucumbers/zuchini.
view mh330's profile
fardaesm - I use just the edge of the melon baller and dip out the seed. This removes minimal actual watermelon flesh and I find it faster than trying to pick out the seeds with a knife or spoon.
mh330 - melon ballers have a sharper edge than a spoon, which make them easier to use, I think. Like I said in the post, I certainly wouldn't call a melon baller "essential," but if you have one or happen to get one cheaply, they can be used for a lot more than just spherical fruit salad!
view EmmaC's profile