Watermelon, Cantaloupe & Honeydew: 20 Refreshing Ideas | The ...

It's meant to be that the melons start showing up right when the dog days of summer settle in. Crisp watermelons, honey-sweet honeydews, and cantaloupes so juicy the syrup drips down your chin: these are our rewards for a day of scorching heat and unbearable humidity. Here are some marvelous melon ideas to help quench your thirst.

The best way to enjoy a slice of melon is, of course, to take big bits of it straight off the rind. A sprinkling of salt is optional. But beyond that, the melon can be a surprisingly versatile ingredient in our summer cooking.

FROM THE KITCHN:

1. Cantaloupe Granita: Perfect for a quick cool down
2. Two Aguas Frescas: Watermelon-Lime and Honeydew-Basil
3. Melon with Lime-Chili Syrup: This heat is the only kind we like
4. Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon: Proof that bacon makes everything better.
5. Melon Bellini: Don't let an overripe melon go to waste!
6. Chilled Watermelon Slices: Dressed with lemon zest and fresh mint
7. Watermelon, Rosemary, and Feta Salad: Salty cheese is a surprisingly good companion to sweet melon.
8. Watermelon-Cucumber Refresher: When in doubt, add vodka.
9. Watermelon Popsicles: Even better than fresh watermelon, if that's possible.
10. Watermelon and Ricotta Ice Cream: An oddly amazing combination.

FROM THE BLOGOSPHERE:

11. Honeydew Bubble Tea from Munchin with Munchkin
12. Honeydew and Watermelon Mousse from Rasberri Cupcakes
13. Blackberry Honeydew and Lime Tart from Eat Your Vegetables
14. Chilled Coconut Tapioca with Honeydew Melon from Workin Time
15. Watermelon Gazpacho from The New York Times
16. Cinnamon Cantaloupe Smoothie from Spabettie
17. Watermelon and Honeydew Sorbet from Tartlette
18. Cantaloupe Mango Papaya Salsa from the Tastespotting Blog
19. Cantaloupe Basil Ice Cream from Baltic Maid
20. Honeydew Melon Martini from Z Tasty Life

How are you eating melon these days?

Related: In Praise of the Melon Baller

(Images: Liz Vidyarthi)