Some interesting recipes made with melon
- Melinda Hill, OSU Extension Wayne County
- September 9, 2024
- 360
The cooler temperatures are welcome, following our hot summer days recently. The cooler, crisp mornings remind me of “fair” weather, which is just around the corner.
The landscape of the fairgrounds is changing as 4-H and FFA youth bring their projects for display at the 175th Wayne County Fair. This year is sure to be a treat as we review the past history of 4-H/FFA projects and how the role of the fair has changed through the years. Many of the booths and exhibitors are ready to share history they have found. I hope you can take time to absorb the special efforts that have gone into this year’s preparations in the 4-H booth building and other exhibits around the fairgrounds.
You can see the daily fair activities at www.waynecountyfairohio.com and the demonstrations in the Grange Rotunda Monday, Sept. 9 through Thursday, Sept. 12.
Emily Marrison is the family and consumer science educator in Coshocton County and a member of the state food preservation team with me. She shared the following details on choosing melons for these fall meals that I hope you will find helpful:
Ohio melons can be divided into two types — watermelons and muskmelons. Muskmelons include cantaloupe and honeydew. I find this very interesting because I grew up using muskmelon and cantaloupe interchangeably, but I never considered honeydew to be muskmelon.
Many people seem to have their own rituals and rules of thumb when it comes to melon selection. I often am asked, “How do you know how to choose a ripe, juicy one?” Here are a few points to consider.
Cantaloupe should have a prominent, evenly distributed corky netting that is buff or light tan. The background color can be green, yellow or gray. The stem end should be smooth and slightly sunken. The blossom end should give slightly when pressed. A ripe melon will have a sweet, musky aroma.
Honeydew should be creamy yellow when picked. A green melon will never ripen. The skin may have a velvety feel. Like cantaloupe, the blossom end will be slightly springy when pressed.
The Watermelon Promotion Board suggests the “Look, Lift and Turn” method. Look a watermelon over for bruises or dents. Lift it to make sure it is heavy for its size. Then turn it over to look for a creamy yellow spot that indicates it sat on the ground while ripening in the sun. If you insist on thumping, patting or knocking, then a melon that sounds like a “ping” may be unripe while a “pong” may indicate it is ready.
There are many benefits to eating melon. An entire cup contains only 45-60 calories, and it is rich in vitamins A and C. Red watermelon also is rich in the phytonutrient lycopene associated with protection against several types of cancer.
Before cutting a melon, scrub the rind with a soft-bristled brush while rinsing with cool, running water. Melon must be refrigerated after cutting and can be stored for up to one week.
If your extent of eating melon includes slices or cubes or little melon balls, then you are not alone. But the possibilities of cooking with melon are endless. I was able to meet the Florida watermelon queen this summer and learned about www.watermelon.org. It is an amazing website from the Watermelon Promotion Board full of recipes for main dishes, sides and desserts. Some of my favorites are roasted salmon with watermelon salsa, spiralized cucumber and watermelon salad, and watermelon glazed meatballs. Watermelon can be grilled or pan-fried in a savory sauce to taste like tuna.
And don’t forget the watermelon rind is edible. There is a lot of fiber packed in this often-discarded part of the melon. You could try watermelon rind pickles or bruschetta. The website even has a whole section of creative ways to carve a watermelon rind from dinosaur shapes to holiday party masterpieces. There also are lots of great recipes for muskmelon from the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board at www.californiacantaloupes.com.
You can learn more about serving melons by viewing a recording of the “Savoring Ohio Produce-Melons” webinar, which Emily co-taught recently with Kate Shumaker, at go.osu.edu/foodpreservationrecordings. For a full list of our Food Preservation webinars, go to https://go.osu.edu/foodpreswebinars.
I hope you will stop by the Grange Rotunda during the fair and say hello. Laurie Sidle, family and consumer science and 4-H program assistant, has worked really hard to offer many new educational demonstrations and speakers. We’ll also have the displays, recipes and handouts.
Melinda Hill is an OSU extension family and consumer sciences educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or hill.14@osu.edu.