One by one, they knocked. At Pete’s Produce Farm in West Chester, shoppers tapped “Sugar Babies,” cantaloupes, red and yellow seedless watermelons – listening for a good one, leaving satisfied they’d found the best.
“Regular red seedless is probably the most popular. Sugar Baby is the sweetest,” manager Danni Hayes said. “The yellow watermelon really blows people’s minds because it’s yellow.”
She also sells bright yellow canary melon and homegrown “Sugar Cube,” which is “like a mini cantaloupe, but super sweet and easier for a lot of people too because it’s personal size.”
Make the most of melon season and enjoy a sweet slice of summer.
“Who does not like it? Kids love melon,” said Ashvini Mashru of Wellness Nutrition Concepts in Malvern. “Melons are very high in vitamin C and also have good hydration during the summer months.”
For “something different,” try her spicy grilled watermelon.
“The cayenne pepper adds a kick to it,” the registered dietitian-nutritionist described. “It’s a sweet and spicy combination.”
Or serve spicy melon salsa, featuring cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew – great with chips, in tacos or atop chicken and fish.
“It includes all three different melons, which I like,” Mashru said. And “it’s versatile.”
So is melon salad. “You can really use whatever you have on hand from your weekly shopping trip or CSA,” suggested personal chef Emily Scott of The Wildflower Chef in West Chester.
She mixes melon and cucumber with add-ins like almonds, avocado, chili powder, poppy seeds and more.
“I started making melon salads a couple of years ago when I felt like everywhere I turned I saw watermelon and feta salads on the menu,” Scott explained. “I realized the genius of combining sweet and refreshing melon with salty and savory ingredients, plus a sprinkle of fresh herbs to make it light and summery.”
Back at Pete’s, market umbrellas shaded melon displays with more people reaching for the seedless varieties. They may be easier, but what about a certain tradition?
“That’s the whole point, right? To spit the seeds at people.” Hayes joked.
And a boy standing nearby, wearing a watermelon-stained shirt smiled.
Spicy Grilled WatermelonIngredients
1/4 cup honey1/4 cup lime juice (from about 4 limes)
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 medium watermelon, cut into 1-inch thick wedges
1/2 cup mint chiffonadeInstructions
In a small bowl, whisk together honey, lime juice, cayenne pepper and salt. Brush each side of watermelon slices with spicy lime and honey mixture. Place watermelon on grill and cook until grill marks developed, about 2 minutes per side. Remove watermelon from grill, sprinkle with mint and serve.
RECIPE COURTESY OF WELLNESS NUTRITION CONCEPTS
Spicy Melon SalsaIngredients1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups total of seeded chopped watermelon, honeydew and cantaloupe
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet yellow pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
InstructionsIn a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Add remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until serving. If necessary, drain before serving.
RECIPE COURTESY OF WELLNESS NUTRITION CONCEPTS
Fresh Melon SaladIngredientsStart with:
1 cup sliced cucumberPick 1 to 2 (diced, approximately 1 cup each):
honeydewcantaloupewatermelonPick 1 (thinly sliced, to taste):
red onionscallionchivesPick 1 to 2 (chopped, to taste):
mintcilantrobasildillPick 1 (to taste):
lemon juicelime juicewhite wine vinegar
InstructionsSeason with salt and pepper. Serves 4.
Optional add-ins:cayennechili powder
olive oilhoneypoppy seedsslivered almonds
diced avocadoRECIPE COURTESY OF THE WILDFLOWER CHEF
