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BF 101: Summer Melons

BF 101: Summer Melons

Few things say summertime like our organic, California-grown melons! Hailing from the Central Valley, these refreshing beauties are bright in both color and flavor. Whether you’re making a modern fruit salad or a gorgeous gazpacho, visit our produce section for one of the most abundant melon displays imaginable. Use this handy guide to learn everything you need to know about our special selection of summer melons.

Galia

Featuring a netted, golden skin, Galia melons have a pale green flesh that is firm and crisp. These hybrid melons are often referred to as “sarda” in Southeast Asia, and when ripe, they are known for having an intensely sweet aroma.

Flavor Profile: Galia melons taste like a cross between a Cantaloupe and a Honeydew. The juicy and firm texture gives it substance, while earthy and sweet flavors blend harmoniously. 

How to Enjoy: Given its vibrant taste and thick texture, Galia melons can easily be added to your morning smoothie or pressed juice. The sweetness also helps balance savory bowls or salads, but you can also throw some slices on top of oatmeal or yogurt.

Honeysaurus

Also called the Gaya melon, the Honeysaurus originated in Japan and is a honeydew cultivar. Slightly smaller than a Cantaloupe, It is part of the muskmelon family, featuring an ivory skin with green streaks. These melons are particularly heavy for their size and have a long shelf life after picking.

Flavor Profile: Refreshing, juicy, and sweet, this easy-to-eat melon boasts a soft texture that gets crispier as you inch closer to the rind. It is extremely similar to Honeydew, with floral notes to entice the palate. 

How to Enjoy: Thanks to its crisp consistency, Honeysaurus melons can be sliced thin and added to green salads or fruit bowls. However, its delicate and fresh taste makes it a wonderful addition to salsas and dips, especially when paired with green tomatillos or herbs like cilantro. 

Hami

Hami is a Chinese melon that has a rough, white-beige skin and an oval shape. The crisp flesh varies between yellow and apricot, and while the rind is often light in color, you’ll also notice streaks of dark green. 

Flavor Profile: When ripe, Hami melons almost taste like candy. Though they are spectacularly sweet, they are also refreshing and have a crispness that is similar to a cucumber. 

How to Enjoy: The sweetness of Hami melons makes it a great contender for smoothies or summer daiquiris, but you can also start your day with thick slices alongside yogurt or oatmeal. 

Cantaloupe

The classic Cantaloupe is a quintessential summer melon. Once sliced open, the pale, netted, and rough skin gives way to a smooth, orange interior. Though the flesh becomes green right up against the rind, a ripe Cantaloupe has an unmistakably bright coral color.  

Flavor Profile: On the palate, Cantaloupe boasts a distinctive taste that is both musky and sweet, complementing its silky soft texture. 

How to Enjoy: Given its light and bright taste, Cantaloupe is most often enjoyed on its own. However, it also pairs nicely in a summer salad with mozzarella cheese or alongside prosciutto for a classic Italian snack. 

Green Honeydew

Perhaps the most common of Honeydew melons, green Honeydew has a lime green flesh with a cream-colored, smooth skin. The thick flesh leads to a small seed cavity in the center, and though the rinds are rather fragile, these melons can grow to be quite large. 

Flavor Profile: Unlike other melons such as cantaloupe, green honeydew is entirely sweet and absent of musky flavors. As the name suggests, hints of honey can be found on the palate along with subtle notes of apple and cucumber. 

How to Enjoy: Though green honeydew is most often enjoyed on its own, it can also be paired with cottage cheese or yogurt for a more protein-dense snack. 

Orange Honeydew

Featuring a smooth, white skin to similar to green honeydew, orange honeydew can be differentiated by its Cantaloupe-colored interior. Typically round or oval in shape, orange honeydews are waxy to the touch when ripe and have a sweet yet delicate scent. 

Flavor Profile: The flesh of an orange Honeydew is firm but juicy, boasting that same sweet taste that honeydew melons are known for. Expect strong hints of honey with floral notes. 

How to Enjoy: Chop up orange Honeydew and add it to your favorite salad or skewer it onto chicken kebabs and give it a slight char for a sweet and savory experience. 

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BF 101 In the Kitchen