Melon-omania

(Get it? Because I have an “exaggerated or obsessive enthusiasm for or preoccupation with one thing”: melons!)

Melons have long been a staple of my breakfast—along with yogurt and granola, you can’t go wrong!—and I’ve been pleased to see that fresh melons are colonizing my grocery shelves again. Thank goodness for a reprieve from the shrink-wrapped slices!

Since I’m working with fresh ingredients, I think I ought to shake up my melon routine—below are three melon recipes that go beyond the usual slice-and-eat preparation:

Watermelon with Orange and Mint

OK, this isn’t so much a recipe as a self-explanatory picture. nami-nami suggests slicing up some watermelon with thin strips of orange peel and shredded mint leaves. Her commenters offer some interesting variations: a sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lime or a splash of balsamic vinaigrette.

Watermelon Lemonade

This is a recipe adapted from Bubby’s, an adorable comfort food restaurant in Tribeca. I was thrilled to come across Smitten Kitchen’s post, because I’ve been to Bubby’s and enjoyed this very same drink! I’m glad I’ll get to replicate the refreshing, slightly tart taste at home.

Melon Sherbet

Ok, first—you have to read bread & honey’s post about this recipe directly, because she begins with a digression on how one pronounces “sherbet.” Alicia grew up saying “sherbert,” but I remember saying “sherbay” like the snobby Francophile I was raised to be. Needless to say, this did not go down well in my unpretentious hometown.

In a somewhat meta move, I am blogging about bread & honey trying out a melon sherbet recipe from 101 Cookbooks, about whom I have also blogged. Nevertheless, it’s valuable to read about how Alicia would have modified the original recipe—maybe you, too, can try the sherbet with heavy cream instead of whole milk. I, sadly, can’t, because I don’t own an ice cream maker. On the other hand, tomorrow is my birthday, so maybe I will buy myself a present!

Enjoy the melon weather, and keep an eye out for a post about Julia Child’s boeuf bourguignon—I’m uploading the pictures now and should have a post up by tomorrow.