Recipes   > Recipe Archive   >  Melons

• Cantaloupe Sorbet
• Chilled Cantaloupe Soup
• Luscious Salad
• Melon and Feta Salad
• Melon Lassi
• Melon Margarita
• Melon Salsa
• Melons in Wine
• Minty Melon Cooler
• Prosciutto and Melon Salad

Myriad adjectives spring to mind around the image of a perfectly ripe melon: luscious, juicy, flowery, sweet, spicy, delicate, aromatic, perfumed. Sweet melons are members of the gourd family, a large botanical classification that also encompasses cucumbers and squashes. There are two broad categories of edible melons, the muskmelon and the watermelon, each of which has numerous varieties. Like all members of the gourd family, melons grow on trailing vines. In general, muskmelons (Cucumis melo) have patterned rinds and thick, juicy flesh encasing a central cavity filled with pale, edible seeds. Watermelons, by contrast, are a different genus (Citrullus lanatus) that originated in Africa, and their seeds are dispersed in a radial pattern throughout the flesh, rather than gathered in a central core.

Selecting Fresh Melons

Choosing a melon can be challenging. Muskmelons don’t get any sweeter once they’ve been picked, and sometimes they’re picked too soon to develop any flavor or aroma at all. The only indicator of a melon’s ripeness is the rind, but since melons differ from one variety to another, generalizations can be difficult.

• Avoid melons with cracked rinds or very soft, spongy spots.
• Look for melons that feel heavy for their size.
• Select melons with a pleasant, sweet, fruity aroma. For varieties, such as Casaba, that don’t emit any aroma, look for an evenly colored yellow rind.
• If the melon was picked ripe, the stem (or stalk) end will have a clean, smooth indentation, known as a “full slip.” Gently press the stalk end with your thumb; if it gives to slight pressure, the melon is ready to eat.
• If your melon isn’t ready to eat when you get it home, keep it uncut at room temperature for several days. Its flesh won’t get any sweeter, but it will become softer and juicier.

Muskmelons originated in the Near East, probably in Persia. Hieroglyphics dating from 2400 BC show that melons existed in ancient Egypt, and evidence indicates they were cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well. They spread through Europe during the Middle Ages but didn’t attain popularity until the 15th Century, when they became prized and celebrated in the French royal court. Christopher Columbus carried muskmelon seeds to America, as did Spanish explorers who cultivated them in what is now California.

In the US, the melon we call “cantaloupe” is the most popular variety, but it’s actually a muskmelon. The American cantaloupe is characterized by a soft, netted, khaki-colored rind and bright orange flesh. In contrast, the true cantaloupe originates from the town of Cantaloupe near Rome. Unlike our American fruit, the European variety has a scented yellow flesh with a hard, greenish-golden rind that is banded into narrow segments.

Today, with burgeoning interest in heirloom fruits and vegetables, you can find a growing assortment of muskmelon varieties popping up across the country. Many markets now offer a wide selection of orange-fleshed melons similar to cantaloupes, such as Ambrosia, Persian, Crenshaw, Cavaillon, and Charentais. The popular honeydew melon, another member of the muskmelon family, has a smooth, creamy white rind and meltingly soft, pale green flesh that fades to white when ripe. A perfectly ripe honeydew is considered the sweetest of all melons. Other green-fleshed melons include the Galia (a cross between the honeydew and cantaloupe), Ogen (a hybrid developed in Israel), and Casaba, a large sweet melon whose flavor is reminiscent of a mild cucumber. Two other varieties worth seeking out are Canary melons and Sharlyns, both exceptionally sweet with juicy white flesh.

North American cantaloupes are available from May through October. Galias and Sharlyns have shorter seasons within this time frame, while Crenshaws and Persians are in season from July to October, with peak harvest occurring in late summer.

Ripe melons should be refrigerated and ideally used within a day. Once cut, wrap melons in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days. To serve in slices, cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then cut the melon into long wedges. For a more decorative presentation, slip a flexible knife between the rind and the flesh of each wedge. Cut carefully to release the melon from the rind, but keep the flesh in place. Then, slice the fruit crosswise into 1-inch chunks. Push alternate chunks in opposite directions for a staggered effect.

A Sweet Treat That’s Nutritious, Too

Fresh melons offer good nutrition along with delicious flavor:

• Fresh melons are all low in calories but rich in nutrients.
• Orange-fleshed varieties are very high in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that may help defend cells from damaging free radicals and enhance the body’s immune system.
• All melons are a good source of vitamins B6 and C, as well as potassium and soluble fiber.