If you enjoy freshly chopped fruit salad, you are most likely familiar with the aromatic and juicy flavors of cantaloupe or honeydew melon. However, it’s time to bring awareness to a lesser known member of the melon family that supplies a similar taste, yet possesses its own unique advantages in the kitchen.

The canary melon, also known as the Juan Canary, was fittingly named because of the vibrantly colored yellow rind that makes this fruit shine among its comparable counter-parts. Oval-shaped and bigger than your average cantaloupe or honeydew melon, it contains a transparent green or whitish flesh. The origins of this mildly sweet and subtle tasting fruit are believed to derive from the hot climate of the Middle East, but are also presently grown in South America as well as southwestern states in the US, including Arizona and parts of southern California. Although the canary melon hasn’t attained the popularity and recognition of its melon equivalents, consider adding this fruit to your diet for not only a refreshing new flavor, but also to obtain the health benefits associated with this light melon. Continue reading →