Aside from those decadent Western Slope peaches that I wrote about before, the other amazing option for local Colorado fruit during these dwindling days of summer is melon. Hot days, cool nights and high elevation are said to make Colorado melons among the world’s sweetest. (A NPR Morning Edition story reported that this year’s Rocky Ford cantaloupes from the southeastern part of the state are coming in at 17 percent sugar content !)
Rocky Ford, in southeast Colorado, is our state’s most famous melon town – a reputation that hinges on precarious water rights. Still, according to a USDA cantaloupe report, 2008 saw 2,100 acres of the fruit harvested in the state, more than any year since 1971. Closer to home, this summer my CSA share has included four plump varieties of watermelon and a slew of other sweet melons with flesh that ranges from orange to translucent yellow.
August melons from my CSA in Palisade. Photo: Jennie Lay
Thankfully, my CSA has shown that melons grow well on the Western Slope too (although Rocky Ford isn’t too far outside that 180-mile local food radius for Yampa Valley folks – certainly a better bet than melons from Argentina). This August, I’ve been getting as many as four melons per week in my farm share. They’re organic to boot.
Finally I’ve resorted to more creative options than offering simple slabs of juicy watermelon for dessert. Watermelon tastes great with arugula, feta cheese and balsamic. And all these melons make delicious aguas frescas that taste every bit as good as I remember at my favorite L.A. taco stand. Nope….better.
Watermelon agua fresca
Cantaloupe agua fresca. Combine melon, a touch of lime juice, a spoonful of sugar and a trip through the strainer after a whir in the blender. Photos: Jennie Lay
