MELONS

RECIPES AND WORDS REBECCA WOOLLARD

PHOTOGRAPHS ALEX LUCK

FOOD STYLING LOTTIE COVELL STYLING LUIS PERAL

STAR OF THE SEASON

“Melons are so often disappointingly bland, but when you get a ripe one there’s nothing better. The flesh tastes perfumed, sweet and, in the latter stages of ripeness, just a little boozy. It’s redolent of summer breakfasts, shaded lunches and frozen cocktails – in short, it’s the taste of holidays. Melons are versatile too; whether you’re chopping them into salads, serving them with parma ham (a classic) or simply whizzing and chilling them for the world’s easiest pudding, they’re a proper treat that should be enjoyed to the full while the fruit is at its best. And that’s now… ”

REBECCA WOOLLARD, FOOD EDITOR

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR

Pick melons that are heavy for their size and feel firm but not rock-hard when squeezed gently. A quick sniff at the stalk or base of a galia or cantaloupe should give you another hint as to whether the fruit is good for eating: perfectly ripe ones will have a gentle waft of melon, underripe ones won’t smell at all and those past their best will be quite pungent.