I solved the mystery of the cantaloupe from a few posts ago.  The reason it doesn’t have webbing, and seemed to ripen and split open so quickly is because it’s actually a Charentais melon, an heirloom cantaloupe melon variety that originates in France.

Here is the mystery guest of my garden, Mr. Chanterais Melon.

I figured this out from reading one of my favorite gardening blogs, My Little Corner of Rhode Island.  She is getting ready to harvest her Charentais melons, and low and behold, those photos looked just like the ones in my garden.  After some research, I figured out that these were indeed Charentais melons in my garden as well.  Mystery solved!

These are so ripe and sweet!

We still have one melon left from Thursday’s harvest, which I chopped up and froze, thanks to my friend Jenny’s suggestion.  I used the frozen melon cubes to create a Charentias Melon Smoothie.  That sounds much more romantic than a cantaloupe smoothie, don’t you think?

Enough of taking pictures of food, Mom!  Time to try it.

Charentias Melon Smoothies

Makes 2 or 3

• 1 Charentais melon or 1 small cantaloupe, cubed and frozen, about 2 cups
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 banana

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend away.

These taste like orange sorbet, and were gone within five minutes!

This post was shared on Little House in the Suburbs Linky #18.  Head on over there for many great DIY ideas!