If you know me at all, you know that I am all about dessert after
dinner. After lunch. Occasionally, after breakfast.
A meal, without something at the end, just doesn’t feel right to
me.
However, my expanding waistline doesn’t feel right to me, either.
And it is darned hot out here in the Southwest, so heavy desserts just don’t appeal. (However
so many beautiful things are blooming!)
Here is a light dessert that leaves you feeling good, and has numerous
variations. And, now that all the melons are in season, it’s a no-brainer!
Stay cool!
~ David
Marinated Melon Balls
1 orange-flesh melon: cantaloupe, Dulcinea
1 green-flesh melon: honeydew
1 small seedless watermelon
1/2 cup tequila
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons sugar
mint sprigs, for garnish
Slice melons on half and scoop out the seeds from the orange- and
green-fleshed melons.
Using a small melon baller, make 24 balls from each melon. You
should only need half the melon; reserve the rest for other uses.
Place all the melon balls in a medium bowl.
Place the tequila, lime juice, and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil, and stir to ensure all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from
the heat and let cool.
When cool, drizzle over the melon balls, then stir to coat.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, stirring a couple of times to distribute the
syrup.
Spoon the melon balls into pretty wine glasses, and top with a sprig of mint or a candied violet.
Serves 6.
Variations:
–
use limoncello with a little extra added lemon
juice
–
use amaretto with some orange juice, then top
with a crumbled amaretto cookie
–
use no alcohol, but simply a blend of lime juice
and lavender syrup
Cheri Savory Spoon
July 9, 2016 at 4:22 pmWhat a beautiful and refreshing dessert!! Love that you added some tequila and lime. A few years back at a French restaurant we had strawberries and a orange liquor that has been stewing together for a few hours. Delicious! Wondering how the monsoons are this summer?
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2016 at 4:45 pmMacerated fruits make for a wonderful dessert… Tonight, it will be peaches in moscato with almond. Yum!
Great monsoons so far – th desert is quite green and lush!
Sippity Sup
July 9, 2016 at 6:18 pmThough we may disagree about dessert in general., I never desire it but I'm constantly making it anyway. I do think these little gems would end any meal nicely. Or even stand alone as a "desserty" breakfast. GREG.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2016 at 6:35 pmSo this goes along with the age-old adage, "Martinis – not just for breakfast anymore!"
You know, Greg, the older I get (and, boy, am I getting older!), the less dessert I want. I small token is all I need to end a meal. A Mozartkugeln, a lemon square, a piece of chocolate. Or some macerated melon balls…
Christina | Christina's Cucina
July 9, 2016 at 9:18 pmBeautiful, BUT I'd have to swap out the tequila for another liquor! 😉 Bad experience. haha!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2016 at 4:52 pmYou aren't alone, Christina! That is why I gave several variations! 🙂
John - heneedsfood
July 9, 2016 at 11:06 pmTequila and melon sound like just the ticket, and I've only just finished my morning coffee! I love that you've balled the melon, too. Classic.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2016 at 4:52 pmWell, that would make for quite the starter to your day, John!
Liz (Good Things)
July 10, 2016 at 12:38 amNice one. I first learned about melon ballers in a 1972 home economics class. A lovely dessert, David.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2016 at 4:53 pmOddly, Liz, I use my melon baller most for coring pears!
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
July 10, 2016 at 12:48 amThis sounds so refreshing! And it's a beautiful presentation. Sounds like just the right light summer dessert!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2016 at 4:54 pmIt is perfect for the heat here, Caroline! Would work well for you, too, in S.C.
Cindy
July 10, 2016 at 1:29 pmThis is a great dessert! The taste of melons with alcohol. Fabulous!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 10, 2016 at 4:54 pmIt was pretty tasty, Cindy!
Valentina
July 12, 2016 at 6:02 amOh how lovely! I'm all about melons in the summertime and this presentation is so beautiful!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2016 at 10:40 pmThanks, Valentina – it is summer in a glass!
Frank
July 12, 2016 at 11:56 amI actually don't have much of a sweet tooth, but this is right up my alley. Fresh fruit is the perfect end to a meal. And a few drops of booze never hurt anyone… 😉
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2016 at 10:41 pmI can only WISH that I didn't have a sweet tooth, Frank. But sometimes fruit is just the right thing. And I completely agree with you about "a few drops of alcohol!"
ChgoJohn
July 12, 2016 at 9:54 pmI got my love of fresh fruit after a summer's meal from watching my Dad do it every supper. This dessert is perfect, David, and would give me something to do with my secret stash of Limoncello that I made last Christmas. Shhh!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 12, 2016 at 10:42 pmWhy the secrecy on the Limoncello front, John? Is it just that once everybody knows, they all want some?
Nicole (RieglPalate.com)
July 13, 2016 at 6:19 pmDavid – Beautiful and what doesn't taste better with tequila?
Cocoa & Lavender
July 15, 2016 at 10:50 pmNicole – tequila one of the five major food groups?
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
July 13, 2016 at 9:57 pmThese photographs are stunning David! Boozy melon–love it!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 15, 2016 at 10:50 pmThanks, Inger! I really appreciate that.
Nuts about food
July 14, 2016 at 9:55 amLove the colors of those three melons!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 15, 2016 at 10:51 pmThanks, Fiona!
Colette (Coco)
July 14, 2016 at 11:54 pmBeautiful, boozy, bright!
This is such a festive finish to a summertime meal. Love it, D. xoox
Cocoa & Lavender
July 15, 2016 at 10:52 pmIt's so nice to have refreshing desserts for our hot desert nights, Colette!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness
July 17, 2016 at 6:37 amDear David, a perefect ending for a great meal in summertime! I am quite grateful that around here there are lots of different melons to choose from these days, I serve some every single day while the season lasts and the kids love them (sans the booze, for us though).
Liebe Grüße,
Andrea
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2016 at 1:28 pmAndrea – simply using lime juice and a little mint is a perfect blend for melons. You are lucky to have so many available to you!
Marcelle
July 25, 2016 at 5:39 pmSo. so pretty and perfect for a summer dessert! The limoncello and non-alchohol variations sound like heaven to me. I'm in the bad experience with tequila club too 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 26, 2016 at 1:29 pmIt seems that tequila has been the downfall of several readers! 🙂 There are so many other ways to enjoy the melons!
Lois B
July 26, 2016 at 4:08 pmThis sounds amazing; I love all of the creative variations too! I may have found dessert for tonight!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 27, 2016 at 6:15 pmThanks, Lois – it is kind of embarrassing even to call this a recipe! It is so simple, but so good.