Glen Arbor Sun

Melons are a relatively new fruit. The first melons that we would recognize as such appeared somewhere in the 16th century in Europe, but didn’t really gain commercial appeal until the last part of the 19th century. Melons (genus: cucumis melo) are native to the area of Egypt, Iran and northwest India. Many people still believe the best melons come from Afghanistan and Iran. They should taste one from Leelanau County after a hot summer….

Melons fall into three categories: cantaloupe, netted or musk and winter melons. The name cantaloupe came from the town of Cantalupo near Rome where they were first grown. Cantaloupes are fragrant, smaller, round, with a rough surface lined with segments. Some varieties of cantaloupe are French Charentais, Ogen, Galia and Sweetheart.

Netted or musk melons all have a light network pattern on their skin, which stands out from its surface. The thicker and more raised the netting, the riper the melon. These melons can vary from small to large, skin may be white, yellow, green and it may or may not be segmented. These are most of what comprise melons in North America. Persian melons are in this grouping.

Winter melons ripen slowly (and a slight bit while in storage). They are the latest of melons. They are slightly elongated and their skins are finely ribbed, sometimes with crackling. These are sugar cracks—the deeper they are the sweeter the melon. Best known of this variety are the Honeydew, Cavaillon and Casaba. Some winter melons hint at the flavor of cucumbers or squash. They are great in salads like the Thai salad below.

Choosing a ripe melon is a snap if you’re buying directly from a farmer at the market—farmers are generally very helpful in directing you towards their ripest produce. After all, they want you to return.

If you choose to buy your melons without seeing a face behind them, there are several ways you can determine a ready and ripe melon.

• Weigh the melon in your hand and compare it to others in the bin. The heavier melon will be sweeter.

• Run your hand on the outside of the melon. Is it tacky or smooth? A tacky melon is a very sweet one that has a bit of sugar seeping out.

• Test the stem end; it should yield to pressure but the rest of the melon should be firm. If the stem is still attached avoid the melon. It was picked too soon.

• Lastly, the melon should be fragrant. Refrigeration dampens the flavor of a melon. Store your melons at room temperature and only refrigerate them after they been cut, for up to three days.

As the classic combination of prosciutto (salt-cured Italian ham) and cantaloupe reveals, melons love flavor contrast. With this in mind, choose to highlight the charm of your melon by teaming it with salty or strong-flavored foods like bacon, cheese, green olives or grilled meats. Finely diced melon makes a great salsa for topping grilled fish. Use it as you would tomatoes.

Don’t forget the melon seeds. Chinese love to snack on salted and dried melon seeds. Rinse them first to rid the seeds of strings. Spread them out on a sheet pan and salt them. Slide the sheet pan into a 350F oven until the seeds begin to dry and toast.

Salt-seared snapper with melon, mint and watercress
4 servings
Adapted from The Best of Fine Cooking, Spring/Summer 2005

2 cups clean and dried, packed watercress leaves
2 cups finely diced, ripe melon
1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound red snapper fillet, cut into four pieces
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar or maple syrup
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Toss the watercress, melon and mint leaves together. Divide evenly among four plates. Sprinkle the salt on the bottom of a sauté pan (not non-stick) and heat it over high heat until very hot. Add the snapper skin side down and cook about one minute. Turn the fish and add 3 tablespoons citrus juice; cover the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook the fish until it is lightly browned, about 2 more minutes. Whisk sweetener and oil into the remaining citrus juice. Divide the fish on top of the melon and watercress, drizzle the fish with the pan juices the then with the sweetened citrus juice. Serve.

Thai style melon salad
8 servings

8 to 10 cups peeled honeydew, 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped coarsely, thick unsightly stems removed
1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped coarsely
3 to 4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and pith removed, minced; use gloves
Maple syrup to taste, about 2 to 3 teaspoons
Dry roasted peanuts, lightly crushed, toasted cashews or pumpkin seeds are a good substitute

Toss all the ingredients except the peanuts together. Chill.

When you're ready to serve the salad, toss it and taste it. Add and adjust to make it jump and grab your attention. Pile the salad onto a platter and for goodness sakes, don't smash the top of it down with a spoon. Get some loft into it. Make it pretty. Top with the peanuts. If you can't stomach cilantro stay away from Thailand and substitute basil or more mint for it here.

Grand Marnier-macerated melon

8 or more servings

1 cantaloupe or muskmelon
1 cup blueberries
4 or more (to taste) tablespoons Grand Marnier
sugar is optional

Peel the melon and cut into small cubes; peel the peaches or simply wash and slice. Place the fruit in a bowl and drizzle the Grand Marnier. Add sugar if you must. Stir lightly to mix, cover the fruit, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour. Spoon the fruit into wine glasses and serve it chilled.

Macerating fruits

Maceration is a process of flavor exchange so it's wise to choose complementary fruits and flavorings. Remember--contrast colors and flavors.
Strawberries, mint, and vanilla
Cherries, apples, and almond liqueur
Cucumbers and tomatoes with vodka
Watermelon with Campari
Melons with Orange flower water

Clean fruits of skins, pits, and slice into bite-sized pieces with lots of surface area for quick penetration and flavor exchange.
Fold in the alcohol or flavoring and sweetener to taste. Allow fruits to sit at room temperature for 1 to 4 hours or refrigerated overnight.
Serve in wine glasses or bowls.

This is a good way to use up leftover melon. Freeze it and puree it in a food processor for a refreshing treat. All the extras you add will simply gild the lily.

Frozen melon smoothies

1 very ripe melon, peeled and diced
fresh lemon, lime or orange juice to taste—start with 1 to 2 teaspoons
Optional, coconut milk or yogurt

Freeze the melon overnight. The next day, puree it in a food processor with pulsing motions. Add the citrus and taste the puree. Does it need sweetener? Add a bit. Add coconut milk or yogurt if you want a creamy smoothie.

This melon water is a great summer refresher and one way to get your kids off of those sugary, fizzy colas.

Melon water

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, June 2005

2 quarts water
1/4 of a very ripe melon, peeled and finely diced
4 mint leaves
juice of one lime

Mix the ingredients together in a clean glass jar. Chill overnight.