How to choose a melon?

Melons are one of the glories of Provence; their sweet and juicy fruit, the result of the 300 days of Provençal sunshine. Cavaillon has been nown for centuries for its melons. In the 19th century Alexandre Dumas bartered volumes of his works for a life-time supply of melons : "If the city of Cavaillon value my books, I love their melons; I desire an annuity of twelve melons per year in exchange for my 300 volumes”

You will find melons from Cavaillon everywhere in the summer in the Luberon – markets, roadside stalls, stores – but choosing one that is perfectly ripe is an art learned by experience. I find the best way is to smell the ‘navel’, it should have a strong melon smell. , The melon should also be comparatively heavy for its size, as it weighs more when it is full of sugar. Another sign is if there are cracks around the little stem, and the stem is ready to come off.

At a market, stall or green-grocer, you can ask for a melon that is ready to eat today, or tomorrow, or the next day.