Broccoli Cupcake

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It’s cantaloupe season.  The grocery store, the farmer’s market and roadside stands are loaded with fresh, juicy cantaloupe.  I’m loving it!  Cantaloupe is one of the few things my boys actually agree on.  They both love it.  Sliced, cubed, balled…they eat it up every time I put it in front of them.  The only problem is that I’m not very good at picking out the best of the bunch.  I usually end up with one that’s a little too ripe.  If we don’t eat all in the first 1-2 days it’s no good and the leftovers end up in the compost bin.

This week, a kind older man at the farmer’s market shared his secrets with me.  There are three things to look for in the perfect cantaloupe. 

1.  It should smell sweet. 

2.  It should feel heavy in your hands.  Heavier than it looks.

3.  The end should give, just a little, when pressed on.

With these tips in mind I came home with the perfect cantaloupe.  It was so good we ate the whole melon in one day.  Now we need another.

We generally eat our cantaloupe sliced into “smiley wedges,” but if you’re looking to try something different here is a recipe we served at our wedding (8 years ago and I still remember it!).  It’s for cantaloupe/bacon wraps.  The combination of sweet and salty is delicious. 

Check out Tasty Tuesday for more refreshing summer recipes.

Cantaloupe/Bacon Wraps:

Cut up 2″ squares of cantaloupe and wrap in thick cuts of bacon.  (I prefer pastured bacon or organic/nitrate free bacon.)

Place 3-4 squares on a skewer to hold the bacon in place.

Grill until the bacon is done, turning often to prevent flare ups.

Enjoy!