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Melon Time's On and a "Cantaloupe" That May Have a Surprise Inside
- Bob Benenson
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Learn About the Galia Specialty Melon
The Chicago region's peak summer crops continue to arrive at our farmers markets in a timely fashion. My first melon sighting took place Tuesday (July 21) at the SOAR Farmers Market on the plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Chicago, where Nichols Farm and Orchard (Marengo, Illinois) had this plentiful display.
On the right is a Korean white-fleshed melon. In the middle are cantaloupes. And in the back are... smaller cantaloupes?
That's certainly what it looks like, but the truth is that those are Galia melons. Yes, they look exactly like cantaloupes, but don't be fooled by appearances.
As you may have guessed from the photo, the Galia is a hybrid of varieties of cantaloupe (hence the exterior) and honeydew (the fabulous green insides with just the slightest hint of orange). It is delicious, and if you're a honeydew fan, don't wait for the bigger, smooth-sided ones; if you run into a bin of Galias, buy one.
Here are some details about the melon from Specialty Produce in San Diego, a virtual encyclopedia on vegetable and fruit varieties.
Underneath the surface, the flesh ranges in color from light green to white and is dense, aqueous, and firm with a smooth, succulent consistency... Galia melons emit a perfumed and musky, honeyed aroma when ripe...
The specialty melons were created in the late 20th century in Israel and are a cross between a smooth-skinned cantaloupensis variety and a netted Russian reticulatus melon. Galia melons are highly favored for their sweet, aromatic flesh...
Galia melons are an excellent source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, and fiber to regulate the digestive tract. The melons also provide potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, calcium to protect bones and teeth, magnesium to regulate energy production, and other amounts of iron, vitamin K, zinc, and manganese.
Galia melons have a sweet, rich flavor well suited for fresh preparations. The rind of the melon should be washed before cutting, and once sliced, the seeds, fibers, and rind should be discarded. Galia melons are primarily consumed straight, out of hand as a refreshing snack, or the flesh is blended into smoothies, shakes, and fruit juices. The melons can also be tossed into green salads, fruit mixes, and grain bowls, or they can be used as a fresh topping over cereal, yogurt, pancakes, crepes, and waffles. When serving slices of the melon, the flesh can be sprinkled with salt, chile powder, ginger, black pepper, or lime or lemon juice for added flavor. Galia melons are popularly sliced and wrapped in cured meats as an appetizer, cut and served with roasted meats, or pureed and frozen into sorbet, granitas, or popsicles. Galia melons pair well with fruits such as kiwi, grapes, strawberries, and coconut, ginger, herbs such as mint, cilantro, and parsley, honey, soft cheeses, edible flowers, and peanuts.
Not suprisingly, a Galia melon was part of Tuesday's market haul along with (from left) blueberries, sweet cherries, apricots and peaches from Ellis Family Farms (Benton Harbor, Michigan); sweet Italian sausages from Finn's Ranch (Buchanan, Michigan); and Cippolini onions, SunGold cherry tomatoes, and that magnificent melon from Nichols.
Check out our Chicago Region Farmers Market Tracker to find a market near you. Our weekly schedule update will be published on Thursday.