Big Bend Eats
by Carolyn Brown Zniewski
T HE P ERSIAN M ELON AKA M USKMELON OR C ANTALOUPE
W
hen I was a child, we ate
Persian melons that came up
to Minnesota all the way
from some exotic location West of the
Pecos River. They were so delicious,
especially when filled with a scoop of
lime sherbet. A colleague of my
father’s was from West Texas, and
when his parents drove up to visit him
they would fill their station wagon with
crates of melons raised by his uncle.
They came much earlier in the sum-
mer than the locally-grown melons,
but more than that, they were so much
more luscious and sweeter than the
Minnesota melons we had in late sum-
mer. There was no doubt that the mel-
ons raised in West Texas were the very
best Persian Melons in the world, bar
none!
That was in the 1950s. Nowadays
Persian melons are called cantaloupe,
but the ones grown in West Texas are
still the best. Cantaloupe or Persian
melons originated in Persia – present
day Iraq and Iran – and spread
throughout the Mediterranean. When
Columbus arrived he passed out
melon seeds to the native people.
Growing them fit right into the gar-
dening practices of the time.
This time of year Persian melons
are on every fruit counter, and
although they are delicious just as they
come from Mother Nature, here are a
few recipes to gussy them up. All these
are quick and easy, and only one
requires you to turn on the stove. All
are so good for enjoying on hot sum-
mer days.
Persian Rose Cream
1 small Persian melon (cantaloupe)
1 cup coconut cream
½ tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp rose water
2 Tbls agave nectar (or honey)
Pistachios
Fresh mint
Use a melon baller to ball the flesh
of the melon or cut it into small
pieces. Divide into 4 dessert dishes.
Mix coconut cream, cardamom, rose
water and agave nectar. Pour over
melon balls. Garnish with pistachios
and fresh mint. I imagine this was
served to Scheherazade. It is so very
exotic and special.
Cantaloupe salsa
2 large cucumbers, finely diced
3 cups finely diced fresh cantaloupe
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded
and minced
1 lime, juice and zest
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 tomato, diced
Sweet and Sour Pickled
Cantaloupe
½ cup kosher salt
1 small cantaloupe
2 cups honey
1 ½ cups cider vinegar
¼ cup minced fresh ginger
1 stick cinnamon
Cut the flesh of the cantaloupe into
2” pieces and spread in a non-reactive
dish. Cover with ice. Sprinkle the ice
with salt. Set aside for an hour while
the ice melts. Rinse cantaloupe pieces.
Using a non-reactive pan, mix the
honey and vinegar until honey dis-
solves, add cantaloupe, ginger and cin-
namon. Bring to a simmer and simmer
for 45 minutes. Bottle pickles while
hot. This should make about 2 pints
and will store in the refrigerator for
several months. This is an old-fash-
ioned treat. Makes a great treat for the
kids.
Pecos Cocktail
2 oz tequila or rum
½ cup cantaloupe
½ oz lime juice
1 oz orange juice
1 tsp honey
Cantaloupe Salad
1 cantaloupe
2 cups red grapes
2 oz blue cheese
¼ cup honey
¼ cup chopped pecans
Cut cantaloupe flesh into 1-inch
pieces, halve grapes, crumble blue
cheese and gently mix together with
honey and pecans. Let sit for ½ an
hour so juices gather. Serve over bib
lettuce, garnish with fresh anise, hys-
sop or fresh mint.
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
Mix together and serve with chips.
It is a most refreshing salsa on a hot
afternoon and goes well with a dark
beer or a glass of white wine. Serve it
for brunch over scrambled eggs with a
mimosa. It is especially good with fish
tacos.
Combine ingredients in blender
with 1/3 cup crushed ice. Blend until
smooth. Pour into an old-fashioned
glass. Garnish with fresh mint.
Pecos Bobby Jane
½ cup cantaloupe
1 Tbls lime juice
½ cup orange juice
1 tsp honey
Combine ingredients in blender
with 1/3 cup crushed ice. Blend until
smooth. Pour into an old-fashioned
glass. Garnish with fresh mint.
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2016
27