We have entered the season of fresh produce—namely fruits and vegetables—but no one ever has to say, “Eat your fruit”. A quote from Time-Life’s The Good Cook series says, “Fruit, in all its richly hued and succulent variations, is perhaps the purest expression of the earth’s largesse.” And am I the only one that has found this year to be a bonanza of delicious and reasonably priced fruit?
I am especially fond of all melons but have been wary of buying them this early in the season when, in the past, they have often been disappointing. Melons of all kinds can either be bland, watery, hard and not sweet enough, or akin to the ambrosia of the gods. This year all the melons I have seen have had the earmarks I use to buy good ones: golden rinds with high, large webbing, heavy for their size and with a plump, hollow sound when hefted and gently spanked. And, best of all, a heavenly perfume.
The cantaloupe was named for a castle in Italy, but it originated in Asia and was well known to the ancient Romans. Muskmelons (the family to which cantaloupe belongs) do not actually ripen after they are picked, but they will soften and become juicier if kept at room temperature for a day or two. Tightly covered with plastic wrap, cut melons can be kept refrigerated for up to two days. Uncut melons can be kept for several days in the refrigerator.
But who can keep this delicious food around for several days? Not only is the cantaloupe delicious but it is very nutritious as well. It is hard to beat as an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as a good amount of folate, potassium and some B vitamins. It is low in calories (56 for a cup of cubes), has virtually no fat and little sodium—and it contains a nice amount of fiber.
One of the combinations of foods that I love most is vanilla ice cream and cantaloupe. It is a great treat to top a sweet, juicy piece of cantaloupe with a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream—and nothing could be easier. Other wonderful combinations are melon with pineapple, peaches, grapes and lime. If you want to serve a delightful appetizer, salty prosciutto wrapped around succulent melon is perfect for summer—and fall. Melons reach their peak season in late summer and early fall and go right into October so it is doubly wonderful that we are getting such good and inexpensive ones this early.
If you want to freeze melon you can do so successfully, but it will change in texture slightly. A good way to do it is to make it into melon balls and freeze in a simple syrup (2 cups sugar to 1 quart water). Use syrup to cover melon, allowing 1 inch headspace. You can add other melon types such as honeydew and watermelon to this mixture and serve slightly frosty with sparkling cider or ginger ale poured over.
For a lovely summer lunch, low in calories and refreshing in hot weather try Fresh Cantaloupe and Shrimp Salad:
3 cantaloupes
2 cups cold cooked deveined shrimps
1 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise.
Cut cantaloupes into halves. Remove seeds. Mix shrimp, celery lemon juice, salt pepper and mayonnaise. Toss lightly. Fill cantaloupe halves. Makes 6 servings.
If you love vanilla ice cream and cantaloupe as much as I do, but want something a little fancier, try this:
Melon Ice-Cream Sauce
1 ripe cantaloupe
1 Tbsp. lime juice
¼ cup sugar
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chill and serve over vanilla ice cream.
If you’d rather drink your cantaloupe I have two versions for creamy, cool, cantaloupe drinks (non-alcoholic, though you can make alcoholic ones that are great, too). The first is thick, rich and decadent but the second is almost as good, sans lots of calories.
Melon Milkshake
3 cups fresh cantaloupe
1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
2 cups milk
Blend in blender until smooth. Serve in a tall shake glass with a straw and a strawberry garnish.
Cantaloupe Smoothie
1 ripe frozen banana
¼ ripe cantaloupe
½ c. nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. skim-milk powder
1 ½ Tbsp orange juice concentrate
2 tsp. honey (or to taste)
Remove banana from the freezer and let it sit for 2 minutes or until the skin begins to soften. With a paring knife, remove the skin. Cut the banana into chunks and put in a blender or food processor. Seed the cantaloupe; quarter and cut the flesh from the rind. Add chunks to the blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
I am especially fond of all melons but have been wary of buying them this early in the season when, in the past, they have often been disappointing. Melons of all kinds can either be bland, watery, hard and not sweet enough, or akin to the ambrosia of the gods. This year all the melons I have seen have had the earmarks I use to buy good ones: golden rinds with high, large webbing, heavy for their size and with a plump, hollow sound when hefted and gently spanked. And, best of all, a heavenly perfume.
The cantaloupe was named for a castle in Italy, but it originated in Asia and was well known to the ancient Romans. Muskmelons (the family to which cantaloupe belongs) do not actually ripen after they are picked, but they will soften and become juicier if kept at room temperature for a day or two. Tightly covered with plastic wrap, cut melons can be kept refrigerated for up to two days. Uncut melons can be kept for several days in the refrigerator.
But who can keep this delicious food around for several days? Not only is the cantaloupe delicious but it is very nutritious as well. It is hard to beat as an excellent source of vitamins A and C as well as a good amount of folate, potassium and some B vitamins. It is low in calories (56 for a cup of cubes), has virtually no fat and little sodium—and it contains a nice amount of fiber.
One of the combinations of foods that I love most is vanilla ice cream and cantaloupe. It is a great treat to top a sweet, juicy piece of cantaloupe with a scoop of premium vanilla ice cream—and nothing could be easier. Other wonderful combinations are melon with pineapple, peaches, grapes and lime. If you want to serve a delightful appetizer, salty prosciutto wrapped around succulent melon is perfect for summer—and fall. Melons reach their peak season in late summer and early fall and go right into October so it is doubly wonderful that we are getting such good and inexpensive ones this early.
If you want to freeze melon you can do so successfully, but it will change in texture slightly. A good way to do it is to make it into melon balls and freeze in a simple syrup (2 cups sugar to 1 quart water). Use syrup to cover melon, allowing 1 inch headspace. You can add other melon types such as honeydew and watermelon to this mixture and serve slightly frosty with sparkling cider or ginger ale poured over.
For a lovely summer lunch, low in calories and refreshing in hot weather try Fresh Cantaloupe and Shrimp Salad:
3 cantaloupes
2 cups cold cooked deveined shrimps
1 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
¼ cup mayonnaise.
Cut cantaloupes into halves. Remove seeds. Mix shrimp, celery lemon juice, salt pepper and mayonnaise. Toss lightly. Fill cantaloupe halves. Makes 6 servings.
If you love vanilla ice cream and cantaloupe as much as I do, but want something a little fancier, try this:
Melon Ice-Cream Sauce
1 ripe cantaloupe
1 Tbsp. lime juice
¼ cup sugar
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chill and serve over vanilla ice cream.
If you’d rather drink your cantaloupe I have two versions for creamy, cool, cantaloupe drinks (non-alcoholic, though you can make alcoholic ones that are great, too). The first is thick, rich and decadent but the second is almost as good, sans lots of calories.
Melon Milkshake
3 cups fresh cantaloupe
1 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
2 cups milk
Blend in blender until smooth. Serve in a tall shake glass with a straw and a strawberry garnish.
Cantaloupe Smoothie
1 ripe frozen banana
¼ ripe cantaloupe
½ c. nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. skim-milk powder
1 ½ Tbsp orange juice concentrate
2 tsp. honey (or to taste)
Remove banana from the freezer and let it sit for 2 minutes or until the skin begins to soften. With a paring knife, remove the skin. Cut the banana into chunks and put in a blender or food processor. Seed the cantaloupe; quarter and cut the flesh from the rind. Add chunks to the blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
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