Melon varieties are now endless! Timeless favorites such as cantaloupe and honeydew are the most well known varieties but there are many other unusual melons available at your local Marsh supermarket (variety varies by season).

Cantaloupe
Actually called a muskmelon, this familiar fruit with orange flesh provides the most beta-carotene in the entire melon family, providing 100 percent of your daily value in a single cup. Select melons that are slightly golden with a light fragrant smell.

Casaba
Unlike other melons, casaba melons do not have an aroma. This is a large melon that is pale yellow when ripe and has white flesh with a sweet taste.

Crenshaw
These melons can weigh up to ten pounds and deliver a unique sweet and spicy flavor. They are a hybrid between the casaba and Persian melon with a yellowish skin and salmon colored flesh.

Honeydew
The sweetest of all the melons and averaging five to six pounds, honeydew melons have a creamy yellow rind when ripe and pale green flesh.

Persian
This melon is quite similar to the cantaloupe but it is slightly larger in size and has a greener rind.

Keep uncut melons at room temperature for two to four days or until fully ripe, then refrigerate for up to five days. Refrigerate cut up melon in a covered container up to three days. Remember that cut melons are aromatic and their smell will penetrate other foods.

Always wash melons in warm soapy water before cutting to get rid of any impurity on the rind that might be carried from the knife blade to the flesh. Simply cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds and strings. Melons can be cut into halves, quarters, wedges, cubes, or scooped into balls with a melon baller. Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.

Fruit Kabobs
(Use fruits that are in season or your family’s favorites)

1 pkg reduced fat cream cheese, softened
¼ cup frozen limeade concentrate, partially thawed
2 T orange juice
½ cup thawed reduced calorie whipped topping
2 cups strawberries
1 ½ cups cantaloupe, cubed
1 ½ cups honeydew, cubed
8 metal skewers or bamboo skewers soaked in water

Beat cream cheese, limeade concentrate and orange juice in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping; cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Thread the cubes of melon and strawberries onto the skewers. Serve the kabobs with fruit dip.