Sweet Summer Melon Bar
Cooling down on hot summer days is on the agenda. I have the perfect Sweet Summer Melon Bar Idea for you today! Seriously, meet your new favorite super simple summertime sweet bar idea. A Sweet Summer Melon Bar will make any summer BBQ, gathering or party special.
This Sweet Summer Melon Bar is bursting with fresh fruit, delicious flavors, gorgeous colors and comes together in under an hour. All the things you need when you are hosting a summer BBQ or gathering at your home, because no one wants to be in the kitchen all day.
I love during the summer months when I can visit a local farmer's market and grab the freshest and most beautiful melons. These melons remind me of my youth growing up in rural Iowa. My grandmother used to slice off some watermelon for all the kiddos and send us outdoors. We would all have watermelon juices running down our arms.
My favorite melon though is the muskmelon, not to be confused with a cantaloupe. Because not all muskmelons are cantaloupes. My husband had never had a muskmelon before he met me, namely because his mother emphatically states she doesn't like cantaloupe. But every time she comes to out home, she gobbles up the muskmelons. Go figure? Anyway, there is a difference.
Muskmelon has a much stronger, sweeter taste than cantaloupe. They both have sweet orange fleshy fruit to enjoy, but the rinds are different. Cantaloupe has a rough, warty rind, while the Muskmelon has a netlike ribbed rind. Once you see the difference, you will always be able to spot it and never purchase a cantaloupe again. I'm just saying!
So, growing up in rural Iowa, we ate Muskmelon and I have now turned my kiddos into huge fans of muskmelon; but the only time we can find this delicious orange fruit is in the summer months at farmer's markets. When I see them, I literally buy as many as I can because muskmelons are literally summer's best fruit.
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SWEET SUMMER MELON BAR IDEAS
There is no surprise that I had to make a Sweet Summer Melon Bar with all the summer fresh fruits that are available right now. There really is not a better way to enjoy these summer fruits than with a Melon Bar. This really isn't a recipe, but more of a guide for the setup. Since my idea is a Melon Bar, I obviously used the summer's best melons. But, really since it is summer, use your favorite summer fruits. Berries, Melons, Stone Fruits . . . there are zero parameters.
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Some of my Favorite Finds
Some of my Favorite Finds From Amazon :
Here are the melons I used:
Muskmelon
Watermelon
Honeydew
Mango
Lemons & Limes
Here are the condiments I used:
Salt
Sugar
Tajin
Now, I have to tell you a little secret about me. When I was a kiddo in rural Iowa . . . we ate our watermelon and muskmelon with salt! Yep-Salt! My kids think I am wacko crazy for putting salt on watermelon and muskmelon . . . but it really is so delicious. The sweetness of the melons and the salty sprinkles make a little explosion of flavor in your mouth. You may find this the strangest flavor combination ever, but just TRY IT!
I set out the summer's bests melons and mango in slices and I balled some muskmelons as well. I cut up some slices of lemon and lime because lime and mango is so good. I also set out some sugar because my kids love sprinkles of sugar on their fruits. Since I love salt, I set out some pink Himalayan salt and I also put out some chile lime seasoning, called Tajin. This stuff is so good on just about anything, but really awesome on fruit.
If you are hosting a summer party soon, think about setting up a Sweet Summer Melon Bar or Melon Station for your guests and family.