Taste and Savour Juicy Gold the Cavaillon Melons of Provence

Celebrated Fruit – Cavaillon Melons

Nutmeg barely tolerates melons, in her opinion, the green honeydew version found in airport “fruit salads” should be outlawed. Watermelon and its variations without seeds or in ghastly yellow only belong on a picnic table with many children around.

The orange cantaloupe is the only melon that Nutmeg will consider eating. Like much of the produce in Provence, “you don’t know what you have been missing” until you have sampled one of the Cavaillon melons.

…Continue reading here to understand how this melon is a sweet mascot of Cavaillon. Originally, grown from seeds imported from Papal gardens in Italy, the varietal has evolved, but remains a celebrated crop in the region. Watch for details on the annual Féria du Melon – a summer festival with melons and equine games.

Not sure what to do with all those melons? Here is a recipe from Venise en Provence for a Melon Soup.

Cold Melon Soup Starter

This is one of my preferred recipes: it's very simple and easy to make but incredibly good, and all your guests will enjoy it so much. Now, as the main ingredient is melon, you should choose a really good one, as that will make the difference. You might be tempted to add something. Well, I did initially, and then I just reduced the ingredients to the minimum, and that's simply perfect.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine French, Provencal

Servings 6 People

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4-5 small melons Cavaillon variety in France, or Cantaloupe
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt just a pinch
• fresh basil
• 1 tsp dried red pepper cayenne or Piment d'Espelette

Instructions

 

• Start by washing the melon and cutting it in two (if you serve them, try to make a nice cut: equal and clean). Then, make some balls with a Parisian scoop melon baller.
• Calculate five balls for each serving, set in a bowl and cool in the fridge.
• Now, you can scoop the rest of the melon roughly and put it in a blender, though not all at once: start with a small quantity and then add the rest. Mix well.
• Add the oil, a pinch of salt, the red peppercorn and some of the basil and mix again till you have a smooth consistency.
• Taste: If it seems a bit insipid, add a pinch of salt and some extra oil and mix again.
• Store in the fridge and let it cool for 1 hour. Then, pour the half melons into a nice glass or bowl, add the melon balls, and some basil.
• Enjoy!

Notes

If you have the chance to find small melons you can present this starter as you see in the photo, otherwise I serve it in nice cups or glasses. This recipe is highly influenced by the quality of melons that you use.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).