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Local Bounty: July 2

4th of July Melons

Gone are the days when, as a little kid, I would compete with friends at a picnic over who could spit watermelon seeds the furthest. And, it’s not due to age; it’s the fact that most watermelons are now seedless. But forget all that. There’s nothing quite as magically summer as a sweet juicy slice of watermelon. Unless it’s one of several other delicious melons, which you may not be quite as familiar with. I’ve written about sweet-as-sugar little French Baby melons and Sugar Cubes. Here are a couple of others you should know about, along with our friend, the big fat, if seedless, watermelon. These are all available right now at Specialty Produce.

Arava Melons

These may look like your traditional cantaloupes, but cut through the webbed skin and you’ll find a beautiful field of green flesh. These are a variety of Galia melons with a floral aroma. The flavor is an unusual melding of sweet and savory, almost herbal. Add them to salads or blend into a cocktail. Or, how about grilling slices and drizzling them with a balsamic vinegar reduction? $1.35 a pound

Charentais Melons

These small melons are just as surprising as the Aravas. Strip off the exotic green skin with its elegant ribbing and inside you’ll find a deeply orange and sweet fragrant flesh—like a cantaloupe on steroids. These melons originated in western France almost 100 years ago as a refined cantaloupe and they are fairly rare in the U.S. Their sweetness would be beautifully complemented by a tart or salty cheese, like goat or feta. It’s perfect with cured meats and in a sweet and savory salad, or as the base of a cool summer soup. $3.10 apiece

California Seedless Watermelon

These are the big guys, grown by Pappas Family Farms. They’re so sweet and so juicy you could almost get drunk on them. You’ll certainly get a sugar high because the flavor is so addictive you can’t stop munching on them. I know because I watched this happen in the offices of Specialty Produce, where full bags of watermelon chunks were decimated in minutes by staff and visitors. As in me. Along with a stack of paper towels. These melons can be on the far side of 25 pounds, but size is less important than an even green color. And those little white seeds inside? Edible. Snack on these melons, jam them, use them in salads with savory ingredients, pickle the rinds, juice the flesh for cocktails. Did I say snack on them?  40 cents a pound

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