My melon OBSESSION

[RavensGryf]

Melon season is here ! For years now, I've looked forward to late summer through fall to find the delicious and more unusual types of melons that aren't available year round.

This year in particular, I am finding myself not only enjoying melon, but obsessing over it like I can't get enough of it ! I must have a couple on hand at all times. My absolute favorite is Casaba, which when ripe is not too sweet, super juicy, and tastes like "cucumber-melon" :32:. Also a hybrid of Casaba (crossed with a type of cantaloupe) called Crenshaw which tastes similar. I also absolutely love Galia, which looks like a cantaloupe at first glance, but is light greenish white inside. Galia tastes like it's half cantaloupe but more mild, and half honeydew but not overpoweringly sweet like some honeydew can be. It's just perfect . I will also eat cantaloupe or Tuscan cantaloupe, or others, but the above mentioned are my favorite. I forgot what Canary melon tastes like, but I have one on the table waiting to ripen right now. I hope to find a Sharlyn this year!

My favorite way to eat it is to cut it up in bite size chunks and freeze it. It's best when it's not completely frozen yet. If you have sticks, you can always cut in slices, and eat them like a popsicle. If melon is frozen solid, it has a texture similar to a popsicle type juice bar. The exception to this is watermelon. That has so much water that it tends to freeze too hard, so I find it's best either fresh or partially frozen. Of course chilled from the fridge is great too.

I don't expect anyone to have a melon "obsession" like I do, but I'm curious if there are any other melon connoisseurs out there?


Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Obsession
noun ob·ses·sion \äb-ˈse-shən, əb-\
: a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal.

Uh oh... :52:

 

[Doublete]

Nope... I can't eat any type of melon. Texture or something

 

[Ann333]

I like mellon... but I've never heard of the ones your talking about lol. We have watermelon, cantalope, and honeydew... that's it. Lol but I love all three.

 

[RavensGryf]

I like mellon... but I've never heard of the ones your talking about lol. We have watermelon, cantalope, and honeydew... that's it. Lol but I love all three.

Those 3 are available everywhere year round. The other ones come into some of the supermarkets only during melon season. I need to find a farmer's market around here.

Doublete, WHAT??! ...lol

 

[Ann333]

Hmm I'll have to keep my eyes open. I'm curious to try some then.

 

[RavensGryf]

Hmm I'll have to keep my eyes open. I'm curious to try some then.

Definitely do! But watch out... it can be addicting . Maybe Pumpkin would like some? My birds think it's disgusting.

 

[Ann333]

Oooh! I bet he would. Lol he like trying new things.... usually.

 

[EAI]

Woah! I've never heard of those types of fruit before...and now I really want to go out and look for some! Maybe you'll find luck in chinatown?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Julie, Alex will thank you for this later, I'm sure. I hadn't heard of many of them, so I will put those on his shopping list when he goes to the farmer's market. I should probably google them first and attach pictures, LOL. I LOOOVE melon! Only downfall is I get up several times at night ... you probably know why. :32:

 

[Christinenc2000]

I bought a Lemon Drop Melon this past weekend. So good. I use to freeze melon and grapes for my son in the summer. He still does it to this day.

 

[Kiwibird]

Julie, I wish we could have a melon sampling party at your place! I've never seen some of the melons that have been available locally recently, but I am definitely enjoying them (especially the lemon drop ones).

 

[thekarens]

I've never met a melon I didn't like, but I've never seen those varieties even at the farmer's market. Sounds wonderful!

 

[RavensGryf]

Julie, Alex will thank you for this later, I'm sure. I hadn't heard of many of them, so I will put those on his shopping list when he goes to the farmer's market. I should probably google them first and attach pictures, LOL. I LOOOVE melon! Only downfall is I get up several times at night ... you probably know why. :32:

Why??... Kidding . Yeah, that's the drawback since I eat a lot of it in the evening.

I bought a Lemon Drop Melon this past weekend. So good. I use to freeze melon and grapes for my son in the summer. He still does it to this day.

I've never seen a melon here labeled "Lemon Drop". I'll have to look that one up. I bet it's a hybrid, and has a different name too.

Julie, I wish we could have a melon sampling party at your place! I've never seen some of the melons that have been available locally recently, but I am definitely enjoying them (especially the lemon drop ones).

Ooh a melon party would be fun! Too bad we live too far...

 

[RavensGryf]

I just googled Lemon Drop melon. It is a hybrid of one of my favorites (Galia) crossed with a "wild melon" with a high citric acid content. Reportedly tastes "lemony". Not too much info on it. Now I'm curious, and must find one.

 

[SoCalWendy]

We love watermelon. One year about 2 years ago, during the summer we went through at least one watermelon every couple of days. I would buy two at a time. My daughter would pick good ones every time. We ate so much watermelon. :32:

Then the crop last year weren't so good, so we ate less and this year I am not thrilled with what is available either. We have bought like 2 so far this year. I love cantaloupe, honeydew. I am more of a melon eater then anyone else in my home. But when it comes to watermelon we all eat it.

 

[Scott]

I love ripe melons, but am not picky for a particular variety. This time of year Costco has a nice selection of California-grown products. As a bonus, this is also fresh cherry season!

Some of my birds eat the melon-flesh, but what they all, and I mean all crave are the seeds! When preparing their fruit and veggie cups, the seeds go on top in a clearly defined mound, otherwise they immediately dump the contents in search of that last seed!!

 

[RavensGryf]

I love ripe melons, but am not picky for a particular variety. This time of year Costco has a nice selection of California-grown products. As a bonus, this is also fresh cherry season!

Some of my birds eat the melon-flesh, but what they all, and I mean all crave are the seeds! When preparing their fruit and veggie cups, the seeds go on top in a clearly defined mound, otherwise they immediately dump the contents in search of that last seed!!

I love cherries right now too! They love the melon seeds? I'll have to try it!

 

[Scott]

They love the melon seeds? I'll have to try it!

Julie, it's like caviar for all my birds except the Eclectus. They go wild! I always have one perched on each shoulder while slicing/dicing/peeling and assembling the chop, and they immediately hop down to the cutting board and start scavenging.

I assume the tiny bit of material inside the shell is tasty and/or nutritious.

 

[Allee]

Melon season helps make up for three digit days. We have a wonderful farmers market, I'll have to try some of the melons you mentioned, Julie. I usually just buy watermelon, honeydew or cantaloupe. Frozen melon sounds good too. Melon seeds are popular with my birds, but they don't like the flesh.

 

[RavensGryf]

They love the melon seeds? I'll have to try it!

Julie, it's like caviar for all my birds except the Eclectus. They go wild! I always have one perched on each shoulder while slicing/dicing/peeling and assembling the chop, and they immediately hop down to the cutting board and start scavenging.

I assume the tiny bit of material inside the shell is tasty and/or nutritious.

Scott, I tried it, but it wasn't a hit here. Today I cut open a Canary melon (all melon seeds seem to look the same except for watermelon). I first offered the individual seeds by hand. Robin liked them. Griffin happily ate 1, then didn't want any more. Raven wouldn't even get his beak near it. I didn't try the budgies because their beaks are just too small. I then put them in a bowl for Robin, but I think he found the whole mass of seeds (with connective tissue and all) overwhelming and unappetizing. I'll try again when the Casaba I have ripens.