What are you going to do with those MELONS?

Thinking about that question today, on this hot summer afternoon in southern California, between fits of periodic deep house cleaning, led me to daydream about melons. Indeed, melons. Melons of all kinds, the kind, even of your imagination... "What are you going to do with those melons?" Possibly the sexiest thing anyone could say or think in a kitchen. Cantaloupe, honeydew, Crenshaw, Juan Canary, Persian, Santa Claus, Seedless Watermelon, Yellow-flesh Watermelon, Pepino, Casaba.... ai, Casaba.

Spritz it with lime juice, sprinkle crushed red cayenne pepper all over it and eat it barely dressed with someone you love, or at least have a decent crush on! Caliente! Don't forget the tequila! Also, good appetizers for just about anything that happens at night! Drizzle it with orange blossom honey at will!

For mother, or an esteemed colleague, friend, tea party- try a Trio of Melon drizzled in Lavendar Champagne syrup. Slice a variety of melons, arranged on beautiful little plates and drizzle the sauce, garnish with cinnamon, fresh mint and peonies. To make the sauce, boil 3 cups of sugar, 1 bottle of rose Champagne, cinnamon, anise, and vanilla. Turn off after 5 minutes boiling and add 3 tablespoons of dried lavender flowers. Stir and let cool in the refrigerator for an hour. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth before drizzling over melon slices. Serve with black lavender tea and honey. Cayenne pepper, fresh whipped cream, blueberries, grated lemon zest and toasted slice almonds would be good to have in small decorative bowls as toppings. These may look especially pretty in small crystal sorbet glasses or goblets. Flutes of several different types of Champagne to choose from would be nice, too. Garnish with cherries, fresh lemon balm, lavender flowers, and gold dust. Dark chocolate truffles would pair well.

For a sorbet everyone is sure to love, simply simmer 1.5 cups of water with 1 cup of honey, fresh mint, and lime juice and let cool. Once cold, strain and add to 4 cups chopped watermelon and blend until smooth. Pour into icecream maker or bowl to be placed in the freezer overnight. Substitue the watermelon with cantaloupes or honeydew using garnishes like melted chocolate sauce, yogurt, granola, banana slices, raspberries, blueberries, mint, hot caramel. Everyone loves sorbet in the summer time!

Melons make the world go 'round...

Naturally, melons are sweet and luscious, virtually no calories, and are open to all kinds of experimentation when it comes to you and your summertime fantasies. You can do anything you want to a piece of melon, wrap in prosciutto and put it on a stick! Dip it in cognac and devour it slowly with a piece of herbed chevre or a slice of cucumber. Layer it with a raw, fresh piece of sashimi and eat it with wasabi soaked soy sauce. Shake it with Absolut and sugar... serve up in a martini glass. Or simply savor the exoticism of the bright yellow, ripe watermelon in small slivers, in the sunset, on a swing...

You deserve it. Bring others with you into the ways of melon savoring moments before the summer is over, which will be all too soon, won't it? Plan that special melon buying trip to the farmer's market or ordering from your CSA every melon they provide today. It is a party waiting to happen, for one, for two, for three, or four, or more.... your creativity in mood expression through heightened artistic awareness as melons for medium, begin. And let the pursuit of all things audacious in the melon loving world commence.