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Yellow Watermelon Salad. An easy Summer Fruit Salad side dish that’s as refreshing and delicious as it is beautiful.
Rocky Ford Melons
This past Sunday, the melon truck was offering up some smaller seedless yellow-fleshed melons. The samples were sweet, crunchy and delicious so I decided to grab one.But the real superstar of Mumm Farms Melon Truck is alwaysthe famous Rocky Ford Cantaloupe. Let’s take a look at some Rocky Ford Melons.
Our delicious mouth-watering Rocky Ford watermelons and cantaloupeshave been availablein our Farmers’ Markets for a couple of weeks now.
Rocky Ford Cantaloupe is the King of melons here. I remember growing up in Kansas, neighbors would haul home a trunk load coming back from Colorado vacations and pass them out like prize winnings.
They are grown around the little Southeastern Coloradotown of
Rocky Fordwhich lies along old Highway 50. It’s in an area called the Arkansas Valley of Colorado which refers to the Arkansas River which starts high in the Rocky Mountains near Leadville, runs through Pueblo, then through Southern Colorado, continuing on through Kansas. Its most famous claim to fame is the canyon it’s chiseled out called
The Royal Gorge.
The small town of Rocky Ford hails itself as the “Sweet Melon Capital of the World”. That’s because hot days, cool nights and a relatively high elevation help farmers grow some of the sweetest cantaloupe on the planet And believe me, every single bite is lush and cherished.
You can visit the web site of the Rocky Ford Grower’s Association for more information on our famous fruit.
Did you know thatmost of the Rocky Mountain Regionand the United States receivetheir melon seeds for planting from here?Rocky Ford melons recently gained international notoriety with Barack Obama’s public endorsem*nt.
Plain and simple, you just haven’t lived until you’re tasted the super sweet juicy Rocky Ford Cantaloupe.The orange meat of these melons is “perfecto”.
Yellow Watermelon
Less famous than Rocky Ford Cantaloupe are their beautiful sweet watermelons. I purchase both pink meat and their speciality melons, like this yellow fleshed.
I made a very simple Summer Yellow Watermelon Salad using chopped mint and Hawaiian Pink Sea Salt to balance the sweetness.
Yellow Watermelon Salad Recipe
I hope you give this easy Summer Fruit Salad recipe a try. And I’m hoping you can find Yellow Watermelon at your markets. It makes for a fun presentation. But of course you can use regular watermelon for this recipe.
And if you have a favorite Summer Watermelon Salad Recipe, let me know. I’d love to give it a try.
Easy Yellow Watermelon Salad
Ready in 10 minutes, this easy watermelon salad is a perfect Summer side dish.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 49kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown
Ingredients
- 4 cups watermelon cubed, preferably a yellow variety
- 1 lime, juiced
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- 4 Tablespoons fresh mint torn
- Pink Hawaiian Specialty Salt to taste, or Pink Himalayan
Instructions
Peel and cube the watermelon. In a bowl arrange the melon and sprinkle with ime juice salt and pepper. With a large spoon, gently stir the melon. Sprinkle with torn mint leaves and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1077IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below. Or tag me on InstagramMention @CookingOnTheRanch or tag #cookingontheranch
Rocky Ford Melon,
It Screams Colorado Summer!
Lea Ann Brown
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Kristi Rimkus saysLove this. I’ve never seen a yellow melon. Light and refreshing with the mint. Don’t you love all this time of year with all the fresh fruits and veggies?
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- Chris says
I’m with you, I’m a bit dubious over the bee tale but it might be true.
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See AlsoGarlic Hummus Recipe - Dave says
Those look great. We are just starting to get some tasty melons in. My favorites, when I can find them, are those little seedless watermelons. Just slice one in half and it’s dessert for two.
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- Pam says
I have to check this out! It sounds great!
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- Lynda says
Love this post, and we love Rocky Ford Melons. We can usually buy them here in my town in Missouri in August.
My husband was raised in Rocky Ford and well remembers harvesting melons when he was a kid. I was raised in Elbert County on a ranch, so I am excited to have found your blog. I look forward to visiting often!Reply
- Cathy at Wives with Knives says
Melons are just coming into our markets here too and they are on my shopping list for Saturday. I can’t wait to try your way of serving watermelon. I’ve heard the same thing about scars and I always look for them.
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- Barbara @ VinoLuciStyle says
Love your pictures of the farmers market; makes me want to find one right now! But you are so right on; now quite like Christmas but certainly a highly anticipated time of year when those Rocky Ford melons become available. I love, love, love them; makes it hard for me to love any other cantaloupe. Ever.
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- Roti n Rice says
Good thing I have a melon sitting on the counter or I’ll have to run to the store now. Thanks for the tip on the melon scars. I normally avoid those melons but I’ll try one with them the next time.
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- Vickie says
Beautiful post! The melon salad looks delicious. Because of you, I love black pepper and salt on fruit – it all started with that Mango Gone Wild post. Who knows about the melon scars – was it incredibly sweet? Those fruit guys. 😛 (LOVE his market display!)
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- Larry says
The melon sounds very good and I’ll bet they were picked closer to prime ripeness than what we get, which are usually still pretty green – and less flavorful. Bev likes to keep sliced melon in the fridge most of the time for a snack, a side dish, or a dessert. Thanks for the info about Rocy Ford and the melons – being a geography person I had to immediately go to maps and see where it is and where the river runs.
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- Joanne says
I’ve never seen watermelon that color before! What a great salad!
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- Zia Liz says
A yellow watermelon? It seems I need to get out more! I like my watermelon with chile powder and lime… I’ll have to try your idea of black pepper too 🙂
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- My Kitchen in the Rockies says
He had good prices. I paid $ 4 foe a big one at the Farmers Market in the Springs. I just cut up a yellow flash for dinner to mix with some couscous.
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- Pam says
I think the melon man made that up to get you to buy his not-so-pretty melon 🙂
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- leaannbrown says
LOL Pam…I wondered about that. You’d think I just fell off the melon truck.
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- Christy aka Mamarazzi says
Sounds like a bit of a story to me but who knows!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today, I’ve enjoyed yours.Reply
