Left to right: Honeydew and cantaloupe

Oh, summer! The time is ripe for pairing a pastel slice of honeydew with paper-thin prosciutto or pureeing cantaloupe chunks into a frosty soup or sorbet. With their juicy sweetness, heady aroma, and vibrant color, melons add a refreshing twist to every part of the menu—from appetizers to entrees, salads, and desserts. And now through early fall is the season to take advantage of their versatility; availability is high and prices are lower for domestically grown cantaloupes, honeydews, watermelons, and more exotic varieties.

Melons belong to the cucurbitaceae family, the same as cucumbers and squash. They’re native to the Middle East, Africa, and India, but seeds were brought to North America by Christopher Columbus’ crew and many varieties now flourish here. Despite some hybridization, botanists have divided the cucurbitaceae family of melons into three distinct groups: muskmelons, cantaloupes, and winter melons.

Muskmelons have a rind covered with yellow or tan netting and fragrant, peachy-orange flesh. Most Americans would iden­tify these as cantaloupes, but true cantaloupe melons are not netted—they’re grooved like acorn squash and have rough, slightly dimpled skin. For ordering purposes, suppliers here typically label muskmelons as “cantaloupes.”

Winter melons include the large, slightly ovoid honeydews and casabas. These ripen late in the season, store well, and un­like muskmelons and canta­loupes, turn sweeter after picking. Honeydew melons have smooth, creamy rinds and pale green flesh; orange-fleshed varieties are also available. Casabas sport a ridged, yellow rind and creamy white flesh.

Watermelons are classified under a different genus of the cucumber family. The most common types include the all sweet picnic (oblong shape, green rind with or without stripes, red flesh with seeds); ice box (round shape, green rind, red or yellow flesh with seeds); seedless (oval to round shape, striped green rind, red or yellow flesh with tiny white edible seeds); and yellow (oblong shape, light green rind with mottled stripes, yellow to orange flesh with seeds).

For purchasing, honeydews, casabas, and the exotics are usually packed in 30-lb. cartons, with counts ranging from 4-12; cantaloupes come in 40-lb. cartons, with counts of 9-23. Watermelons vary in size from 5-45 lb. and are packed in cartons ranging from 35-85 lb., with counts differing according to size. Melon balls and chunks are also available frozen.

Quality melons should be heavy for their size and well-shaped. Ripe cantaloupes and winter melons have a pleasant, distinctive aroma and a stem end that yields to gentle pressure. Handle ripe melons with care since they bruise easily.

Fully ripe cantaloupes in­tend­­ed for use in 1-2 days can be held at room temperature; hold at 32-36°F for short-term storage of seven days or less. Ripe hon­eydews and watermel­­ons do well at 45-50°F, as do casabas, crenshaws, and Persians, but store firmer fruit at 60-65°F for further softening. Don’t keep melons below 45°F for longer than seven days.

Not your common garden variety
A few more unusual melons that can add panache to the plate:

Crenshaw—Large, round melon with slightly pointed stem end, golden-green rind, and golden-pink to cream-colored flesh.

Juan Canary—Oblong-shaped melon with yellow rind, creamy white flesh, and a sweet taste.

Pepino—Purple-striped, yellow-skinned melon with golden-yellow flesh; tastes like a mix of cantaloupe and cucumber.

Persian—Globular-shaped melon with dark green rind, light brown netting, and delicately-flavored pink-orange flesh.

Santa Claus—Oblong-shaped melon with a mottled green and yellow rind and light green flesh; use as you would a honeydew.