It’s the ultimate end of summer treat: slices of juicy watermelon sprinkled with a basil and lime-infused sugar that will make your mouth water.

You’ll be surprised how a simple sprinkle of flavored sugar elevates watermelon to an entirely new level, amplifying the flavor, sweetness and depth of this sublime summer fruit.

It’s incredible, really, what a little bit of sugar and salt will do to the flavor of watermelon (which is often lackluster, even when you stumble upon a really good one). If you’ve ever sprinkled salt on mediocre tomatoes, you know exactly what I mean here.

A simple yet sublime mixture of sugar, sea salt, lime zest and fresh basil, mint and lemon verbena (just a hint of the other two for a bit more interest and flavor) is enough to make an ordinary slice of watermelon something your tastebuds will crave. Dare I say it somehow makes this juicy fruit even juicier?

To make the basil lime sugar, simply pulse everything a few times in a food processor or a (clean) spice grinder before sprinkling liberally on your watermelon slices. Easy as that. It’s literally a 10 minute recipe, including the time it takes to chop up the watermelon.

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