Mystery Melons

Mixed Melon Bowl

We are fortunate to have a local certified Farmer's Market that provides fresh produce and food every Sunday, fall through spring. We live in the desert so unlike other places that get this privilege through the summer, it's just too hot for them to come our way.  

One of the best things about this market is the samples. They always have samples to test the fruit and I am always surprised to discover new tasty treats. 

Last week I discovered these little beauties and although they had them marked as "melon and papaya," I was not able to get the actual names. I figured I could look them up online but after much searching, I was disappointed. I can't identify them.  Maybe someone reading this knows their names?  I'll also try to ask again at the market this weekend. The sellers were asian so perhaps they are a type of asian melons? 

Whatever they are called they are delicious!!!

This melon is about the size of a soft ball.

It's very sweet. Sort of like a sweeter version of a honeydew. 

This one they called a papaya.

It tastes like a melon with almost a slight flavor of a cucumber. Very mild.

We are also fortunate to have little watermelons around this fall so I thought the three of them would make a nice melody of flavors.

And I was right. 

 These three little melons made a really lovely Thanksgiving breakfast.

I hope this encourages you to break out of the usual and open up to the idea of trying something new. Even if you don't have a local farmer's market, I have learned that if you ask your produce person about something new and different, most will be happy to slice one open and let you sample it. 

There's a whole big produce world out there. Go explore!

This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for the bounty that nature provides us

and for readers like you.