You can’t really beat fruit salad in this miserable heat. It like eating a glass of cold water–cold sugary water that crunches and is infinitely more refreshing.
I’ve been trying to find some more creative fruit-salad-y things, that aren’t just melons, apples and berries thrown into a bowl (however delicious it may be.) I saw this recipe in a farmers’ market cookbook (uh, perfect?) and proceeded to salivate. Mint and fruit? Sold.
The lime was what really did this for me. Lime spritzed across the top of any fruit is a wonderful, entirely new flavor. Perhaps it’s the tart? Regardless of reason, it’s crisp, cooling, and pairs perfectly with mint and melon!
MOJITO MELON BALLS
(via Farmers’ Markets Desserts)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup mint and/or spearmint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons light rum
1 small watermelon, or one quarter of a large
1 honeydew or canteloupe
zest from one lime
In a heavy-bottom pan, bring sugar and water mixture to a boil, stirring often. Let dissolve and remove from heat. Add chopped mint leaves and rum, stir and set aside for twenty minutes. In a separate bowl, scoop melons out using a melon baller. Once finished, pour mint mixture on top. Grate lime zest over top of salad.
