Sweet juicy cantaloupes, honeydew melons and watermelons are an especially delicious part of summertime eating. The following specialty melons have also become increasingly popular. These once "exotic" melons are now widely available in supernarkets, depending on their peak season.
Always wash melons before cutting. To serve melon, slice into halves, scoop out and discard the seeds. Fill melon halves with ice cream, sherbert, cottage cheese, berries or a fresh melon salad. Or... cut peeled or unpeeled melons into quarters, wedges, or slices.
 | Casaba Melon A ripe Casaba melon is golden yellow with a hint of green. It should be heavy for it's size, fragrant and slightly soft on the blossom end. To store, keep uncut melons at room temperature until fully ripe then refrigerate up to five days. Wash the rind before slicing. Refrigerate cut-up melon in a covered container for up to 3 days. Casaba melons are available from April through late September |
 | Crenshaw(or Cranshaw) Melon Look for Crenshaw melons with a buttercup yellow, ridged surface. A ripe melon is fragrant and heavy for its size and slightly soft on the blossom end. For a juicier, softer fruit, store at room temperature for one or two days before cutting. Wash the rind before slicing. Refrigerate cut melon in a plastic bag or a covered container and use within a few days. Crenshaw melons are available from February to August. |
 | Canary (or Juan Canary) Melon A ripe Canary melon is yellow, fragrant and just slightly soft at the stem end. The hard, corrugated rind has a slightly waxy feel. Wash the rind before slicing. Refrigerate cut melon in a plastic bag or a covered container and use within a few days. Canary melons are available from about June through October. |
 | Santa Claus Melon This large, elongated, green and gold melon is also known as the Christmas melon. For best flavor, choose a melon that has bright gold stripes and weighs at least five pounds. Because of it's thick rind, a ripe Santa Claus melon will not have a sweet aroma like most other melons. Refrigerate ripe uncut Santa Claus melons. Wash before cutting. Refrigerate cut up melon, covered, for up to 3 days. Santa Claus Melons are available from about June through October. |
 | Sharlyn Melon The outside of a sharlyn melon is netted like a cantaloupe. As the melon ripens the color below the tan colored netting turns from shades of green to shades of orange. The flesh of a ripe sharlyn melon is cream colored with a taste like a sweet cantaloupe and honeydew combined. Unripe melons can be stored on a counter top at room temperature for a few days to ripen. Ripe Sharlyn melons are very perishable... Refrigerate both before and after cutting and use within a few days. Sharlyn Melons are available from about April to September. |
Appetizers On Ice
Make the last appetizer as crisp and fresh as the first in this clear 16" dia. acrylic tray. The base this clear 16" set is filled with ice, to keep food in the compartments above chilled and appetizing. The center bowl holds dips or relishes, and the lazy Susan base turns.
