Produce Briefs...
Maui Onions
Two characteristics set the Maui onion apart from other yellow onions: the high sugar and high moisture content of its flesh.
White Corn
White corn is a sweet corn variety. Its ears are wrapped in tightly layered pale lime green to white husks. One ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels growing in rows lengthwise.
Seasons/Availability
Sharlyn melons are available April to September.
Current Facts
Sharlyn melons are a hybrid of a cantaloupe and perhaps a honeydew variety, though more than two varieties were involved in its evolution. All cantaloupe and honeydew cultivars are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also houses gourds, cucumbers and chayote.
Description/Taste
The Sharlyn melon has a cracked skin with tan and yellow-orange coloring. Superficially resembling an elongated cantaloupe, the Sharlyn does not possess the sweet unctuous flavor of cantaloupes, rather a more restrained balance of sweetness. Its pale orange flesh is soft near the center and more firm near the rind. Its aromatics are both floral and fruity. Its flavor and aroma often improve after harvest, though the sugar content remains the same. Sharlyn melons have a short shelf-life and should be eaten within a week of harvested when ripe.
Applications
Sharlyn melons may be substituted for crenshaw melons. Pair with lemons, yogurt, honey, chiles, sheep's milk cheese and vanilla. Serve in salads, cold soups and beverages. To store, keep melons at room temperature two to three days. Refrigerate ripe or cut melon up to three days.
Geography/History
The product of crossbreeding, the Sharlyn's parent plants were both primarily cultivated in southern France, Northern Italy and Algeria as early as the late fifteenth century. As with many summer melon varieties, the Sharlyn thrives in a hot dry climate.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Sharlyn Melon. One
is easiest, three is harder.
Sharlyn melons are available April to September.
Current Facts
Sharlyn melons are a hybrid of a cantaloupe and perhaps a honeydew variety, though more than two varieties were involved in its evolution. All cantaloupe and honeydew cultivars are members of the Cucurbitaceae family, which also houses gourds, cucumbers and chayote.
Description/Taste
The Sharlyn melon has a cracked skin with tan and yellow-orange coloring. Superficially resembling an elongated cantaloupe, the Sharlyn does not possess the sweet unctuous flavor of cantaloupes, rather a more restrained balance of sweetness. Its pale orange flesh is soft near the center and more firm near the rind. Its aromatics are both floral and fruity. Its flavor and aroma often improve after harvest, though the sugar content remains the same. Sharlyn melons have a short shelf-life and should be eaten within a week of harvested when ripe.
Applications
Sharlyn melons may be substituted for crenshaw melons. Pair with lemons, yogurt, honey, chiles, sheep's milk cheese and vanilla. Serve in salads, cold soups and beverages. To store, keep melons at room temperature two to three days. Refrigerate ripe or cut melon up to three days.
Geography/History
The product of crossbreeding, the Sharlyn's parent plants were both primarily cultivated in southern France, Northern Italy and Algeria as early as the late fifteenth century. As with many summer melon varieties, the Sharlyn thrives in a hot dry climate.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Sharlyn Melon. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Treat a Week |
|
Fig and Melon Hamantaschen |
| La Tartine Gourmande |
|
Vanilla Melon Soup |
