Honeydew

Cookbook author Reem Kassis shares her take on a beloved childhood snack of melon slices and almond juice.

Think of this smoothie-like sipper as a base, then start riffing. Try blending mild red pepper flakes with mango, finely grated ginger with pineapple, or cucumber and mint with honeydew.

This all-green salad gets a kick from serrano, ginger, and just a hint of fish sauce. Keep the melon ice-cold for maximum contrast.

This ribbon salad is evidence that you need a mandoline in your life. The shaved cucumber and melon will release some liquid and lose a bit of crunch after they’re dressed, so toss everything together just before serving.

This showstopper is a kaleidoscope of colors, a treasure chest of nutrients . . . yet not a berry to be seen. Winter fruit has its merits: Kiwi is an excellent source of vitamins C and K (the latter is needed for blood clotting), not to mention digestion-enhancing fiber. Reddish-orange persimmons contain twice the dietary fiber of apples, plus more potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, and antioxidants. Cantaloupe and honeydew both provide potassium and are super hydrating—helpful for the winter months when you might be stuck indoors amid dry, re-circulated air. Dressed in a tropical coconut kefir-and-mint vinaigrette, it's a pleasure for all of the senses.

Water infused with cucumber and mint gets a bit of natural sweetness from ripe honeydew melon. The salt in the drink helps with rehydration, while lime juice and club soda balance it out.

The musky-sweet flavor of melon also takes well to red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper.

Feel free to adapt this fruit salad as the seasons change; aim for a mix of juicy fruit (like melon), stone fruit, and berries.

Dress just before serving so that the fennel will still be crunchy and the melon retains its juices.

This frosty drink is as refreshing as frozen lemonade but has the added lushness of summer melon. Fresh thyme gives the fruit’s sweetness some grown-up dimension.

"I'll juice just about any green, but spinach is my go-to. Melon just sweetens the deal." —Alison Roman, senior associate food editor

The yield for these ice pops depends on the size of your molds — you could use anything from paper cups to store-bought specialty molds.

This salad of melon, sweet pepper, salty cheese and earthy basil recalls the watermelon salad that we all love so much, but its elegant components make it more refined. Salt is key to marrying the flavors, so be generous, tasting as you go. Be liberal, too, with a very good extra-virgin olive oil—it is very much a part of this salad.

Chayote is a member of the gourd family, along with cucumbers, melons, and squash; it is mild tasting, with a crisp, pearlike texture. It is often used in salads and salsas, or baked and stuffed, like other squash. If you can’t find one, you can substitute honeydew melon instead, adding it after the mixture has been cooked and allowed to cool.

Seltzer enlivens this effervescent drink, which consists of sweet honeydew melon puree and mouth-puckering lime juice.