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Luscious melons & herbs

Melons, natures most succulent and sweet treat are one of the summer’s delicacies!  Perfect for picnics, elegant dinner parties or simply cooling the palette on a hot summer day, these juicy beauties offer much more than meets the eye.  They pair perfectly with herbs and are one of the simplest and tastiest of all the summer fruit.

Melons are members of the pumpkin and gourd family and offer thousands, yes thousands of varieties, ranging in size from a fist to the size of a buffalo head.  This fruit, often eaten as a vegetable is filled with complex and deep layers of flavor.  Most of the varieties known are traced back to Egypt, Iran and India with the most succulent and finest originating from modern day Afghanistan.  Unfortunately, most of the old world varieties don’t exist today. In today’s food world, heirloom melons are definitely the candy of the garden and are making a comeback on specialty farms all around the world.  These old melons with hints of mango, pineapple and peach are something special and extremely rare.  In the early 1800’s melons were plentiful and the varieties grown were many, but like many food crops melons eventually underwent hybridization and commercialization in the 20th century.  Bred for commercial agribusiness and long distance shipability many of the older tastier, sweet and more delicate melons went by the wayside.  And along came the modern day varieties that we all know and see throughout the world.  We can still find older heirloom varieties if we look hard and when we do find them it is certainly a special treat.  Vine ripened for maximum sugar content and flavor these luscious beauties entice our palettes with the juiciness and flavor that is truly second to none.

Herbs and melons have unique pairing potential due to their extremely complex flavors.  With the addition of herbs, the melon flavor tends to deepen and create a heightened complexity and sweetness in their taste.  With a smorgasbord of possibilities, herbs and melons offer us a beautiful pairing for summer’s hottest days.  Experiment with the many different varieties available and fine tune the recipes to your specific taste profile. This lovely pairing is sure to make your summertime dining a truly decadent experience!

CANTALOUPE

• Round
• Greenish cream netted rind
• Orange flesh
• Most fragrant and sweet of the melons
• Does not ripen well after harvest

CHARENTAIS

• Round to oval
• Smooth greenish cream rind with green ridges
• Orange flesh
• Extremely potent fragrance
• France’s most notable melon

GALIA

• Round
• Raised netted greenish rind
• Greenish to orange flesh, as it ripens the flesh turns a deeper orange
• Sweet subtle flavor
• A hybrid of the ogen melon from Israel

CASABA

• Walnut shape
• Deep yellow smooth skin with light green markings
• Pale creamy colored flesh
• Semi sweet cucumber flavor with little fragrance
• Excellent shelf life

CRENSHAW

• Walnut shape
• Deep yellow smooth skin with dark green markings, turns golden when ripe
• Salmon colored flesh
• Highly aromatic and sweet intense flavor
• Also known as the musk melon

HONEYDEW

• Round
• Cream to pale green smooth skin
• Pale green flesh
• Watery and sweet with very little aroma
• Very soft flesh

WATERMELON

• Round, and oblong
• Smooth solid green rind with a pale green stripe
• Flesh can be red, pink, yellow and orange and even some shades of salmon
• Watery and extremely sweet, with a slight crispness
• Seeds are throughout the flesh

Quite different and distinct than the rest of the melons the watermelon is possibly the most refreshing of all the melons.  Extremely high in water content among many other nutrients and licopene, watermelon is not just 4th of July fare.  With over 50 different varieties from all over the world watermelon is one of the most versatile of the melons and is typically eaten in all forms fruit  and vegetable, sweet and savory.

Originating from Egypt and spread fast throughout the world.  The watermelon was brought by Christopher Columbus and his people; the American Indian soon adopted this melon and began to cultivate it throughout North America. Once here, it began to develop its massive size and in some cases watermelons can grow to be up to 20 pounds.

Watermelons are enjoyed in so many unique ways around the world and the possibilities are truly endless for cooking with these succulent wonders.  The African countries use the under ripe watermelon for soups and stews and as a thickening agent, the rinds are pickled and enjoyed as a relish in places like France.  In many parts of Europe the peels are candied or fried and all over the world the seeds are toasted and eaten as snacks.

One of the main differences in watermelon and the regular melons is the seeds. The seeds are speckled throughout the entire fruit versus located in the very center.  The seeds are usually black oily seeds but can also be white and in some varieties reddish.

Like the other melons there is a growing fondness for bringing back the heirloom varieties and can be found at many farmers markets throughout the country and all over the world.  The best known variety of watermelon is perhaps the Sugar Baby, these are small (under 10 pounds) round and extremely sweet and crisp.  There are typically seeds (black) but hybridization has taken out the seeds on many of the mass cultivated varieties of Sugar Baby’s.  The Charleston Grey is the enormous watermelon that most of us grew up on, which was cultivated by the Native Americans.  This watermelon is oblong and very large, not as sweet, not as juicy, with a thicker rind, perfect for making pickled watermelon rind!  Wild watermelons are indeed a luxury item, about the size of a fist or an orange.  Originating from Central Africa and spreading into India and Asia, they are extremely rare in North America due to the serious threat they pose to American watermelon agriculture, but they are indeed abundant throughout Africa, India and Asia and are highly regarded as a delicacy.

Melon Selecting & Storage Tips
There are a few key tips when selecting melons that will help ensure you choose the perfect melon for your luscious summer recipes. 

• The melon should feel heavy, like there is a weight on the inside
• The melons should give off a sweet aroma, not too musky, a musky smell indicates overripness (watermelons give off less aroma but should still smell sweet)
• At the tip of the melon where it was attached to the vine, there should be a cream colored round patch, this patch when pushed should have some give, not to hard and not too soft
• Many people tap and thump their melons but this is really only a good test for watermelon, when thumped, a hallow sound should be produced, if it is under ripe a less dull and higher sound will be made.
• Chilling melons before eating tends to retard the flavor and sweetness, it is best to chill it after it is cut just before eating or better yet, eating them after they have been stored in a cool place.
• Some people have a hard time cutting melons, so if this is the case, cut a small piece off one of the sides to make a flat surface, and then lay the melon down on that flat surface to ensure it won’t move or wobble while cutting.

Cantaloupe Basil Granita
Serves 4

A luxurious way to enjoy sweet summer cantaloupe without putting in too much effort!

1 medium sized cantaloupe, ripe, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 cup basil simple syrup, recipe follows
Pinch of salt

Place the cantaloupe chunks and simple syrup in the bowl of food processor or blender and blend until smooth.  Add a pinch of salt and blend again.  Pour into a metal pan with sides and allow to freeze, scraping with a fork occasionally.  To serve, scrape with fork.  Garnish with a fresh basil leaf.

Basil Simple Syrup

½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh basil chopped fine

Place all ingredients in a heavy bottom sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Allow mixture to cool to room temperature and then blend. Strain with cheesecloth if you like.

Mixed Melon Salsa
Makes 3 cups

Perfect alternative for tomato salsa, offering a cooling sweeter flavor!

¾ cup honeydew, cut into tiny cubes
¾ cup cantaloupe, cut into tiny cubes
¾ cup watermelon, cut into tiny cubes
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon honey
Pinch of salt

Place the fruit in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.  In a small mixing bowl add the herbs, lime zest and juice, honey and salt and whisk together until all the honey has dissolved.  Pour the mixture over the fruit and gently toss.

Fresh Thyme Galia Frozen Grape Salad
Makes 5 cups

Simple, yet truly decadent!

1 galia melon, deseeded and cut into bite size cubes
2 cups frozen red grapes
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon citrus champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon almond oil
Pinch of salt
Cracked black pepper

In a medium mixing bowl, place fruit and set aside.  In a small mixing bowl place thyme leaves, lemon zest and juice, honey, vinegar, almond oil, salt and pepper and whisk until all the honey has dissolved.  Pour over fruit mixture and fold gently.  Serve immediately!

Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad
Makes 5 cups

This sweet and savory salad is enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean regions is an extremely refreshing salad on a hot summer day.

4 cups watermelon, cubed into bite size pieces
¾ cup feta cheese, cubed into bite size pieces
½ cup fresh mint, chopped coarsely
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Cracked black pepper

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently toss and serve!

Indian Spiced Watermelon Rind Chutney
Makes 5 cups

An excellent chutney for meats and fish and perfect for a BBQ!

3 cups watermelon rind, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar in the raw
¼ cup ginger, peeled and minced fine
1 tablespoon garlic, peeled and minced fine
2 tablespoons lime zest
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons finely chopped green chili (include seeds for spicier version)
1 tablespoon cracked white peppers corns
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon salt

Place all ingredients in a heavy bottom sauce pan on medium high heat and bring to a boil until all sugar has dissolved.  Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the watermelon rind is tender and translucent in color, and the liquid is syrupy, approximately 45 to 60 minutes.  Take of the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  Chill chutney in a covered container for about 1 to 2 days.

Mixed Melon & Herb Ice cubes
Simple, cold and delightful, only your imagination can hold you back!

Puree different melons with herbs and freeze in ice cube trays.  Fancy ice cube trays make this perfect for the end to an elegant BBQ.

• Watermelon Mint
• Mint Honeydew
• Cantaloupe and Basil
• Galia and thyme

Watermelon Mint Lime Agua Fresca
A perfectly refreshing way to eat or drink a watermelon without it dripping all over you!

Makes ½ Gallon
5 cups of watermelon cubed
3 cups water (sparkling can be substituted)
Juice of 4 limes
½ cup fresh mint chopped fine

Blend all ingredients until completely smooth, serve over ice