Melons are great all by themselves, though some people like to perk up their flavor by sprinkling lemon juice, salt, or liqueur on them.  Look for three things when selecting a melon:  (1)  Was it picked too soon?  Each variety turns a certain color at maturity.  If your melon isn't the right color, reject it.   (2) Is it damaged?  If it has soft spots, cracks, or mold, reject it.  (3) Is it ripe?  Even mature melons may need a few days to ripen fully.   If a melon flunks either of the first two tests, don't buy it.  If it passes those tests, but isn't ripe, just leave it on your kitchen counter for a few days until it reaches full flavor.  All melons should also be heavy for their size.

Substitutes:  starfruit OR papayas (these also work in salsas)

Equivalents:  One pound = one cup, cubes

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Varieties:

African horned cucumber  See kiwano (melon). 

African horned melon  See kiwano (melon). 

	ambrosia melon   Notes:  This looks and tastes like a cantaloupe, but the flesh is a brighter orange.  Substitutes:  cantaloupe
	Canary melon = Juan Canary melon  Notes:   These tend to vary in quality, so unless you're good at selecting melons, stick with more idiot-proof varieties like the honeydew or cantaloupe.  Canaries should, at a minimum, have bright yellow rinds.  They're in season in the fall.   Substitutes:  honeydew OR cantaloupe
	cantaloupe = nutmeg melon = muskmelon = netted melon = rockmelon    Notes:   These are popular because they're easy to select and very sweet.  Ripe cantaloupes have dull yellow backgrounds with raised netting.  Avoid those with protruding stems, or tears in the rind at the stem end--it's a tell-tale sign that the melon was picked too soon.  When ripe melons are picked, the stem falls off easily, leaving a small, clean depression.  After checking the stem end, flip the melon over and check the blossom end.  It should be fragrant and yield a bit when pressed.   Cantaloupes are cheapest in the summer.   Substitutes:  Cranshaw melon OR honeydew melon OR Persian melon (larger)
	casaba melon   Notes:    These aren't as flavorful as other melons, but they have a fairly long shelf life.  Since they have thick rinds, it's useless to smell them as a test for ripeness.  Look instead at the color (it should be bright yellow), and then check to see if the blossom end yields to gentle pressure.    Substitutes:   Santa Claus melon (These also have a long shelf life.) OR Crenshaw melon OR Spanish melon OR Sharlyn melon OR cantaloupe

Charantais melon = French Charantais melon   Notes:    This is reputed to be one of the best melon varieties of all.  Substitutes:  honeydew melon OR cantaloupe

Christmas melon  See Santa Claus melon.

 

Crane melon  Notes:  This melon-cantaloupe cross is exceptionally juicy and flavorful, but it's hard to find outside of Sonoma County, California.  Substitutes:  cantaloupe

 

Cranshaw melon = Crenshaw melon  Notes:   This large, popular melon is a cross between the Persian and Casaba melons.  The rinds come in two colors:  yellow and creamy white.  The yellow ones taste better. You can buy Cranshaws while they're still a little underripe and let them sit on the counter for a few days. When fully ripe, a Cranshaw will be fragrant and yield slightly to gentle pressure at its blossom end.  They're best in the fall.  Substitutes:  casaba melon OR Persian melon OR Sharlyn melon OR Spanish melon OR cantaloupe OR honeydew melon

Crenshaw melon  See Cranshaw melon.

English tomato  See kiwano (melon). 

Galia melon  Notes:   This sweet, juicy melon is a honeydew-cantaloupe cross.  Its biggest drawback is its relatively high price.  Substitutes:  honeydew OR cantaloupe

hedged gourd  See kiwano (melon). 

honeyball melon = honey ball melon Notes:   This is just like a honeydew melon, only it's smaller, rounder, and covered with netting.  Substitutes:  honeydew melon (larger) OR cantaloupe

 

honeydew melon = honey dew melon   Notes:   These large, choice melons have either green or orange flesh.  As honeydews ripen, they turn from green to creamy white to yellow.  Avoid green ones, but a creamy white one will (unlike other melons) ripen on your counter in a few days.  A perfectly ripe honeydew will yield just a bit to pressure at the blossom end and have a sticky, velvety rind.    Substitutes: cantaloupe OR Cranshaw melon

horned melon  See kiwano (melon). 

jelly melon  See kiwano (melon). 

kharbouza melon   Notes:  This is a very crunchy, mildly sweet melon.

kiwano = kiwano melon = horned melon = African horned cucumber = African horned melon = English tomato = hedged gourd = jelly melon = melano   Pronunciation:     kee-WAH-noh   Notes:  This melon has a gorgeous orange rind with spikes--poke a stick in it and you'd have a medieval mace for a Halloween costume.  The yellow-green flesh has the consistency of jello, and tastes a bit like cucumbers.   Substitutes:  cucumber (the flesh lacks the brilliant chartreuse color of the kiwano's flesh.) OR other melon

melano  See kiwano (melon).

muskmelon  See cantaloupe. 

netted melon  See cantaloupe. 

nutmeg melon  See cantaloupe. 

 

Ogen melon  Notes:  This melon hails from Israel, and it's very highly regarded by melon fans.  Substitutes:  honeydew melon OR cantaloupe

Persian melon    Notes:    These are large, round melons.  They're excellent when vine-ripened, but mediocre when not.  Avoid Persian melons that have green backgrounds below the netting--they were picked too early.  Also avoid those with protruding stems, or tears in the rind at the stem end--it's a tell-tale sign that the melon was picked too soon.  When ripe melons are picked, the stem falls off easily, leaving a small, clean depression.  They peak in the summer months.  Substitutes:  Cranshaw (a cross between the Persian and casaba melons) OR Sharlyn melon (white flesh instead of orange) OR cantaloupe (smaller)

rockmelon  See cantaloupe.

	Santa Claus melon = Christmas melon  Notes:   This is distinguished mostly by its long shelf life--you can store an uncut Santa Claus melon for several months.   They have thick rinds, so don't bother smelling them for ripeness--they don't give off much of an aroma.   Substitutes:   honeydew (better flavor) OR cantaloupe (better flavor) OR casaba melons (These also have a long shelf life.)
	Sharlyn melon   Notes:   When ripe, this has an orange background with green netting.  It's very perishable, so don't wait more than two days after getting it home to eat it.   Substitutes:  Persian melon (This has orange, not white, flesh) OR Cranshaw melon OR Spanish melon OR cantaloupe

Spanish melon = Green Tendral melon = Elche honeydew   Notes:   These are delicious melons, but it's hard to know when they're fully ripe.  Unlike most other melons, a ripe Spanish melon will have a green rind and be firm at the blossom end.   Substitutes:  cranshaw melon OR casaba melon

 

watermelon  Notes:  There are about 50 varieties of watermelon on the market. They all taste about the same, but they vary in size, flesh color, and in whether they are seeded or seedless. Picnic melons are largest, while icebox melons are round and compact. Many stores also carry yellow-fleshed, white-fleshed, and seedless melons.  The rind should be heavy for its size, and free of bruises, soft spots, or cuts. To check for ripeness, look at the pale side of the melon (where it rested while it was growing)--it should be yellow, not white.  If your market sells halved watermelons, inspect the flesh--it should be firm, brightly colored, and free of white streaks.  Seeded watermelons should have dark brown or black seeds.  To store, wrap watermelon slices loosely in plastic and refrigerate for up to two days. Uncut watermelon can be stored at room temperature (preferably in a cool spot) for up to two weeks.  Substitutes:  honeydew melon

yellow melon = dua gan = Korean melon   Notes:  These melons are small, about the size of medium papaya.   They taste like cantaloupe, but with firmer flesh.  Substitutes:   cantaloupe

 

Copyright © 1996-2005  Lori Alden