If you love melons but want to try something more unique than the standard Honeydew Melon, Cantaloupe and Watermelon, the Produce Department at The Fresh Market is a great place to start! Our unique melon varieties include:

• Orange Flesh Honeydew - The orange flesh honeydew melon is a varietal of honeydew melon which has been bred to be especially flavorful and juicy. These melons may look like cantaloupes at first glance when sliced, but they do not have the netted skin of the classical cantaloupe, and the flavor resembles that of a honeydew melon, not a cantaloupe.

• Sharlyn - The Sharlyn melon looks like an elongated cantaloupe with a thinner, mosaic-like exterior netting. This melon has a distinct, perfume-like fragrance and a pale green interior. They are somewhat similar to the taste of a Crenshaw melon.

• Galia - Originating from a cantaloupe-honeydew cross, round Galia melons have deep green flesh. Like any melon, they are sweet and aromatic, with a flavor more like a cantaloupe than honeydew.

• Persian - The Persian melon has an orange background with green netting. Be sure to enjoy soon after purchase as this variety is extremely perishable.

• Casaba - Fairly large and firm, Casaba melons have a rich, thick yellow rind that is smooth with deep wrinkles.

• Canary – A large, bright yellow melon with a pale green to white flesh. This oblong melon has a distinctively sweet flavor that is slightly more tangy than a honeydew melon.

• Crenshaw – A Crenshaw melon is a hybrid round melon with very sweet, juicy orange flesh. Crenshaws are among the sweetest of melons, making them a popular melon during their peak season between July and September.

Recipe Ideas
Make your melons go further than the fruit bowl with some tasty recipe ideas:

• Cantaloupe & Walnut Salad (View Recipe) - Balls of ripe cantaloupe tossed with toasted maple walnuts and topped with fresh mint. This salad is a refreshing summer treat.
• Grilled Halloumi Salad with Watermelon and Mint (View Recipe)- If you like your watermelon with a sprinkle of salt, this salad is for you! The salty flavor of Halloumi cheese, sweetness of watermelon and touch of fresh mint is going to delight your taste buds.
• Watermelon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette (View Recipe) - Another sweet and salty combination, this salad of freshly diced watermelon, spicy red onion, mint and salty Feta cheese tossed with a homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette is a great summer side.