We’d like to use this opportunity to come to the defense of the honeydew melon, because for God’s sake, this fruit has a hard time defending itself. When presented with a fruit salad, we ourselves are guilty of tossing honeydew aside, often preferring the berries, grapes or even cantaloupe. And there it sadly sits, anemic light green and uneaten at the bottom of the bowl.
When we asked ourselves why we never choose to eat honeydew, we had to dig deep. Then suddenly the answer became as clear as a $5 artisanal ice cube: It’s not that we don’t like the fruit. It’s just that most times the melon is served underripe and out of season – like at hotel buffets, pre-made grocery store fruit bowls or Great Aunt Lucy’s house. But when you cut into a sweet, almost floral smelling honeydew melon at its peak of ripeness (the summer months), everything you thought you thought, you no longer think. The skin turns from hard and smooth to velvety and slightly sticky. The flesh becomes a brighter, almost vibrant green and tastes soft and as sweet as, well, honey.
As we were flipping through our freshly-opened June edition of Bon Appétit, we came across a very refreshing sounding recipe that highlights the lowly honeydew as the star ingredient. So we made their recipe for Honeydew Cucumber and Mint Soda and were quite pleased. The sweetness of the melon is tamed by neutral cucumber, and then freshened up with mint and a splash of lime juice, all of which help to reinforce the melon’s vibrant green color. The fruit purée is then served over ice with bubbly club soda for a refreshing, homemade soda. Simply put, this recipe is honeydew’s redemption.
To make it at home, simply whirl the honeydew, cucumber and mint together in a blender, strain for a smooth texture, then mix with lime juice and chill. Once this melon purée is made, the drink is practically done. Just pour it into a tall ice-filled glass and top with club soda.
We think this Honeydew Cucumber & Mint Soda is perfectly light, refreshing and balanced. We love how the pitcher format makes it perfect for a crowd. We also think adding a splash of rum wouldn’t hurt.
- 6 cups chopped honeydew melon (from 1 medium melon)
- 1 English hothouse cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers), chopped (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup mint, packed, plus more for garnish, if desired
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tbsp.)
- 4 cups club soda
- Ice, for serving
- To blender, add chopped melon, cucumber and mint. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Using fine mesh strainer, strain melon mixture into pitcher or bowl, stirring strainer to help liquid pass through. (You will have about 4 cups melon purée.) Stir lime juice into melon mixture; cover and transfer to refrigerator; chill about 1 hour.
- To serve, stir melon purée, then pour ¼ cup purée into tall glass filled with ice. Top with ¼ cup club soda. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve immediately.
- Serve with 1.5 oz. white rum per serving, if desired.