Late spring is type of a dry season for fruit. Fresh vegetables are sufficient; our garden is generating plenty of lettuce and snow peas, and we're despite the fact that harvesting the fantastic spear of asparagus. But maximum end result?Blueberries, peaches, cherries?Do now not without a doubt become sufficient till later inside the summer season, and final 12 months's crop of apples and pears is lengthy depleted by now. When I eventually made it right all the way down to the outlet day of our neighborhood farmers' market ultimate Friday, the excellent fruit I observed on provide become $6-a-carton strawberries.
So, at the same time as my deliver of sparkling fruit ran out the previous day, I made a experience out to the HMart to look if I have to discover some thing appetizing. And it in reality is wherein I ran across this little specimen: Gaya melon. I'd in no way heard of it earlier than, however as you may tell from the picture, it is kind of coconut-sized, with a light-inexperienced rind speckled with darker inexperienced. Inside, the flesh is whitish, with a smooth, seed-filled center.
A site calledThe Produce Guide describes the flavor of a Gaya melon as "a gentle mix of banana and pear," but to me it tasted more or less like honeydew, only with a less dense texture. It's very soft and sweet toward the center, growing crisper and slightly tart toward the rind. It's extremely refreshing on a hot day. My plan was to eat only a quarter of it to start with, but instead I found myself gobbling down the second quarter immediately after finishing the first.
The Produce Guide notes that Gaya melon makes "a good background fruit for a fruit salad with raspberries and blueberries," but I doubt I'll be able to put this one to any such use, since as I noted, the raspberries and blueberries won't be ripe around here for another month or so. Of course, if I had waited for the Gaya itself to be in season locally, rather than buying one shipped up from Florida or somewhere, I probably could get all three at the same time—and maybe I will, if I can find all three ingredients for less than a couple of limbs. But for now, I think the rest of this Gaya melon is going to go the same way as the first half, and quite speedily. And once it's gone, I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for more of the same—especially if I can find any grown locally.
