Since 1926, the Agricultural Review has been a free newspaper published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. For many years, The Tar Heel Kitchen was a featured column written by the department’s marketing home economist. These recipes tended to be seasonal with just a handful of ingredients. We thought these recipes needed to be shared in a new format. The Tar Heel Kitchen post will unearth a few of these timeless recipes each month. This week we are revisiting the August 15, 1987, issue and a recipe for minted melon balls that highlights delicious and nutritious N.C. produce.
No other fruit says summer like watermelon, and here’s a recipe that embellishes the timeless summer fruit and its cousin, the honeydew melon. Former NCDA&CS home economist Barbara “Babs” Minter Wilkinson offered these tips for selecting a perfectly ripe watermelon:
“Look for firm, symmetrically shaped melons with good rind color and a dull waxy rind texture. The underside should be creamy yellow in color. If the underside is white, or very pale green the melon was picked too soon. When buying this melon in sections, look for a bright red flesh color and black seeds.”
This recipe for minted melon balls is a cold and delicious summer treat. Our test kitchen team thought the mint was an unusual but yummy addition. We thoroughly enjoyed eating this recipe straight from the refrigerator.
Minted Melon Balls – Aug. 15, 1987
- 1 large orange
- 1 cup watermelon balls
- 1 cup honeydew balls
- 1/8 teaspoon mint flavoring
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Fresh mint leaves
Cut orange in half crosswise. Gently squeeze orange halves, reserving ¼ cup juice. Carefully remove orange pulp (do not puncture shells); discard pulp and set shells aside. Combine ¼ cup orange juice, watermelon, honeydew, flavoring and lemon juice in a small bowl; mix well. Cover and chill. Scallop reserve orange shells if desired. Fill shells with equal amounts of melon mixture. Garnish with mint leaves. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings (93 calories per serving)