Usage: Fresh in fruit salads or in fruit platters. If you want to try something different, wrap cantaloupe in thinly sliced prosciutto.

Selection: Cantaloupes are a netted cultivar of Muskmelon. Good-quality Cantaloupe will have large webbing or netting on the skin, will have yellow/orange coloring and be slightly soft on the stem end (firm elsewhere). They will also have a good cantaloupe smell on the stem end (if it is not too cold), and the scar at the stem end should be a smooth and well-rounded cavity. Finally, you can hear the seeds rattle inside a juicy melon when shaken. Often, melons will have a decidedly bleached side that rested on the soil - this does not affect the quality of the melon.

Avoid: Avoid product with a rough stem end with portions of the stem remaining - this means the melon was harvested too early. Product with green coloring, soft or sunken spots or dark and dirty spots that look moldy are all signs of poor quality.

Storage: After picking melons will ripen but their sugar content does not increase. At room temperature it takes up to four days for melons to ripen. Melons are ethylene sensitive, so they ripen faster if stored with ethylene-producing fruit such as pears or bananas.

Only refrigerate melons that have become too ripe or have been cut. Store whole ripe or cut melons between 40°F and 45°F. A whole ripe melon can be refrigeratefd for about three days. Keeping the seeds inside a cut melon will help keep it moist. Cut melons should be wrapped, and always taste better if they are brought to room temperature before eating. Freesing melons is not recommended.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters. Casaba can also be carved into an attractive centerpiece.

Selection: Casaba Melons are a variety of Muskmelon. Good-quality Casaba melons will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. The coloring will be rich yellow with very little green on the skin. The rind will be ridged when the melon has been allowed to ripen on the vine and the skin will have a slightly waxy feel when the melon is ripe.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is extremely green-colored.

The Charentais is a petite-sized melon with a smooth, hard, pistachio-grey colored skin and distinct green ribbing. Its flesh is deep orange, dense, silky, smooth and sweet. It is powerfully fragrant with tropical fruit and floral notes. The flesh bears a small, easily-removed seed cavity. Its delicious flavor and powerful aroma must be appreciated at its height of maturity as it has a delicate and short shelf-life.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters.

Selection: Good-quality Crenshaw melons will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. The coloring will be rich yellow with green tinges on the skin. The skin will have a slightly waxy feel when the melon is ripe.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is extremely green-colored.

Beautiful, oval-shaped, yellow fruit weighing 1-2 lbs. with lovely silver stripes. The white flesh is very crisp and sweet. This is a Korean variety that was introduced by Burpee's, and is one of the best. A must for melon enthusiasts and specialty growers alike. Very productive and quite early; a good choice for the north and fun for kids to grow.

Fun to speculate but what we do know is that they are similar to Crenshaw type melons, 3-5 lbs, slightly teardrop shaped, and yellow/buff colored with green speckles. Incredibly aromatic orange flesh is very creamy and deliciously sweet.

An Israeli perfume melon held in high esteem for its creamy, sweet green flesh that is much richer than any honeydew.  Smooth skin with no netting. Worth growing for the smell of the ripe fruits alone.  One of our favorite tasting melons hands down.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads, yogurt, or in fruit platters.

Selection: Honeydew melons are a variety of Muskmelon and are considered the sweetest of all melons. Good-quality Honeydew melons will turn a creamy yellow color and the skin will have a slightly waxy feel when ripe. They will be firm with a small amount of softness at the stem and will be fairly large - those weighing about 5 pounds have the best flavor. Sometimes, the seeds of an especially juicy melon will rattle if the melon is shaken.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is green-colored.

Storage: Uncut Honeydew melons can be kept at room temperature for two to four days or until ripe. Ripe Honeydews can be refrigerated for an additional 5 days. Cut melons should be placed in a covered container and refrigerated for no more than three days. Keep in mind that Honeydws have a strong odor that will saturate other foods.

Preparation - Wash honeydews in warm soapy water prior to cutting to eliminate impurities on the rind that could be transferred from the knife to the melon's flesh. Next, slice the Honeydew in half and remove the seeds and strings. Melons can be cut into halves, quarters, wedges, cubes, or scooped into balls with a melon baller. Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.

The Galia melon has a lightly netted golden yellow rind with a pale glacial green succulent flesh that has a signature spicy sweet flavor with tropical and perfumed aromatics. This melon will continue to ripen when removed from the plant and because of its aromatics, it will permeate other foods.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters.

Selection: Good-quality Canary melons will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. The coloring will be canary yellow with no green on the skin. The skin will have a slightly waxy feel when the melon is ripe.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is green-colored.

Perfection Fresh will send Australia’s first Magenta melons to market in mid-November. This variety has been specially bred to retain its bright orange flesh and super-sweet taste year-round. Magent melons are grown in the Bundaberg region.

Usage: Just remove the seeds and slice one up. Orange flesh melons taste great all by themselves. They also make a great addition to fruit platters and salads or melon sorbets.

Selection: Orange-Flesh Honeydew melons are a variety of Muskmelon. Good-quality Orange-flesh Honeydew melons will turn a creamy yellow color with a slight orange tinge and the skin will have a slightly waxy feel when ripe. They will be firm with a small amount of softness at the stem and will be fairly large. Sometimes, the seeds of an especially juicy melon will rattle if the melon is shaken.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is green-colored.

Storage: Uncut Honeydew melons can be kept at room temperature for two to four days or until ripe. Ripe Honeydews can be refrigerated for an additional 5 days. Cut melons should be placed in a covered container and refrigerated for no more than three days. Remember that Honeydews have a strong odor that will saturate other foods.

Preparation - Wash honeydews in warm soapy water prior to cutting to eliminate impurities on the rind that could be transferred from the knife to the melon's flesh. Next, slice the Honeydew in half and remove the seeds and strings. Melons can be cut into halves, quarters, wedges, cubes, or scooped into balls with a melon baller. Most melons will benefit from a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to enhance the flavor and served at room temperature.

Usage: Eaten raw for breakfast, in fruit and spinach salads. Pepinos are great served peeled and cubed or sliced.

Selection: Also called melon pear, melon shrub, pepino dulce, sweet pepino, and mellowfruit. Good-quality Pepino melon will be smooth-skinned, have a sweet smell on the stem-end and be as firm as a partially ripe plum. The coloring of ripe fruit will be pale yellow with purple stripes.

Avoid: Avoid product that is soft, dented or light for its size.

Storage: Ripen at room temperature until as firm as a slightly ripe plum, then refrigerate ripe fruit for up to 3 days.

Usage: Persian melons make a great addition to any breakfast. Just remove the seeds, cut into slices and enjoy!

Selection: Persian melons are a netted cultivar of Muskmelon also known as Patelquat. Good-quality Persian melons will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. The coloring will be dark green and turn lighter green as the melon ripens. The netting is finely-textured and will be slightly brown when ripe.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has sunken spots on the skin or is dark-green colored.

Storage: Keep refrigerated 45-50 F.Storage life is typically 12-15 days at 45 degrees F with up to 21 days attainable.

It means "toad skin". Apparently it is widely served in Spain. In fact, it is so popular in Spain that when melon is mentioned, it is assumed to be this one. Some travelers said that it was the best melon that they had ever tasted.

One of the world's rarest melons is also reputed to be the sweetest. The small, 3"-4" round melons have a high sugar content and did we mention that they are SWEET? Asian melons open up a whole new dimension of melon appreciation. They are crisp and crunchy and have edible skins. This scarce variety was devloped by the Sakata Seed Co. of Yokohama.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters. Serve at room temperature.

Selection: Santa Claus Melon is a netted cultivar of Muskmelon also known as the Christmas Melon. Good-quality Santa Claus melons will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. The coloring will be mottled yellow and green. The skin will have a slightly waxy feel when the melon is ripe.

Avoid: Avoid product that is too firm, too soft, has dark blemishes on the skin or is extremely green-colored.

Storage: Keep uncut Santa Claus melons at room temperature for two to four days or until fully ripe, then refrigerate for up to 5 days. Refrigerate cut up melon in a covered container up to 3 days. Keep in mind that once cut, melon odor will penetrate other foods.

Usage: Raw, in fruit salads or in fruit platters.

Selection: Good-quality Seedless watermelons will be firm, evenly-shaped, heavy for its size and have a deep-pitched tone when slapped with an open palm. Medium to large melons are generally easier to tell when ripe. Yellow on one side of the melon is where the fruit contacted the ground and does not affect quality. Seedless watermelon are not completely seedless, they just have the small white seeds that most people consider edible.

Avoid: Avoid product that is partially white or pale green, soft overall, has soft spots or is leaking a milky-white fluid. When using the open palm technique for ripeness, avoid melons with a high-pitched tone or a dead, thudding sound.

Storage: Before cutting, wash watermelons with soap and water so dirt on the rind doesn't get into into the flesh. Refrigerate cut watermelon in sealed containers for up to a week. Uncut watermelons can be stored at room temperature up to two weeks.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters.

Selection: Good-quality watermelon will be firm, evenly-shaped, heavy for its size and have a deep-pitched tone when slapped with an open palm. One of the easiest methods is to simply turn the melon over. If the underside is yellow, and the rind overall has a healthy sheen, the melon is most probably ripe. The flesh of cut melons should have a fresh, firm texture, and the seeds should be fully mature and hard. Watermelons do not ripen any further once they are cut from the vine.

Avoid: Avoid product that is partially white or pale green, soft overall, has soft spots or is leaking a milky-white fluid. Melons shouldn't have any dents, bruises or cuts, but marks left from insect bites will not affect the melon's flavor. When using the open palm technique for ripeness, avoid melons with a high-pitched tone or a dead, thudding sound.

Storage: Before cutting, wash watermelons with soap and water so dirt on the rind doesn't get into into the flesh. Refrigerate cut watermelon in sealed containers for up to a week. Uncut watermelons can be stored at room temperature up to two weeks.

Usage: Raw in fruit salads or in fruit platters.

Selection: Good-quality Yellow watermelon will be firm, evenly-shaped, heavy for its size and have a deep-pitched tone when slapped with an open palm. Medium to large melons are generally easier to tell when ripe. Yellow on one side of the melon is where the fruit contacted the ground and does not affect quality.

Avoid: Avoid product that is partially white or pale green, soft overall, has soft spots or is leaking a milky-white fluid. When using the open palm technique for ripeness, avoid melons with a high-pitched tone or a dead, thudding sound.

Storage: Before cutting, wash watermelons with soap and water so dirt on the rind doesn't get into into the flesh. Refrigerate cut watermelon in sealed containers for up to a week. Uncut watermelons can be stored at room temperature up to two weeks.