Every year, my garden produces an abundance of beautiful cantaloupes. I use them in fruit salads and soups, and alone as a light breakfast, but my favorite cantaloupe recipe is one I developed for my most recent book, Recipes and Tips for Sustainable Living: homemade cantaloupe ice cream! Now, cantaloupe ice cream is the first thing I dream about when the melons begin to ripen.
The secret to making great cantaloupe ice cream is to use a perfectly ripe cantaloupe. Let color, weight, touch, and smell be your guides. First, the rind under the netting should be cream or golden in color, not green or gray. Next, it should be heavier than you would expect (this is as excellent indication of juiciness). Finally, smell the bottom of the fruit; if you can’t detect an aroma, it’s not ready to be harvested yet.For the recipe go here.