Slice up that cantaloupe for cocktails and caviar

Watermelons snag your eye. It’s got green racing stripes and a bright red pulp that has made it a picnic staple. But in August, cantaloupe is the fruit that you should fall under the spell of your melon baller.

Ripe melons are somewhere between beige and gray in color. If you run

your finger along the side, the netting pattern on the outside should

feel raised. Avoid melons with a strong odor or soft spots. Those are

too ripe or rotten. You’ll know you’ve got it right if you cut into the

melon and find pale orange flesh that is consistent in color.